WORRIED by under-age drinking, police yesterday revealed a youngster aged just 13 had been taken to hospital for treatment after being found drunk. Eleven-year-olds had also been found drunk after drinking cheap booze.

WORRIED by under-age drinking, police yesterday revealed a youngster - aged just 13 - had been taken to hospital for treatment after being found drunk.Eleven-year-olds had also been found drunk after drinking cheap booze.And with police discovering drinking parties of up to 70 youths, they warned: "Parents should not be allowing youngsters to drink in the town."Police said there was a 'huge problem with under-age drinking' in Exmouth - but assured people that measures were in place to reduce the problem.PC Dave Evans, a neighbourhood beat manager, said officers had seized - from under-age drinkers - spirits, wine, 30 litres of cider and more than 50 bottles of lager over the recent Bank Holiday weekend.PC Mat Helm, neighbourhood beat manager for Exmouth town centre, said people as young as 11 had been found drunk.He revealed one person, aged around 13, had to be taken to hospital, having drunk too much. PC Evans said: "We are seeing groups of 60 or 70 youths congregating in areas, drinking large amounts of cheap lager and cider."Children are clearly getting alcohol from local shops, businesses and their parents."By drinking such quantities, they are putting themselves in danger by making themselves vulnerable to assaults or other nasty offences when they are drunk."Equally, there is a personal danger, such as if an individual steps out in front of a car or train."PC Evans said initiatives to try to reduce under-age drinking problems in the town were something the police had worked on a great deal in the past."It is also an issue we will be pressing forward in the summer by confiscating the alcohol. It may well be that such people need to be arrested."PC Evans said parents should know where their children were during evenings and should not be allowing them to drink in the town."Kids will be kids and they find ingenious ways of getting their hands on alcohol - it's been going on for many years."He said neighbourhood policing teams would be targeting youths, not necessarily those who drank reasonable amounts, but those who would happily drink litres of booze.