Police have been accused of an over-reaction after four squad cars were dispatched to deal with an argument in Phear Park.

But the police defended the action because of the large number of youths involved.

Photographer Nick Evans says he was taking pictures of his teenage friends in the skate park, when another group of teenagers arrived and started an argument.

Nick says this prompted a passer-by to call the police, who turned up with four cars containing seven officers.

He said: “My friend asked if he could use the quarter pipe, where the group were, and one of them slid down and started shouting at him, but he didn’t hit him. A woman saw this from the top of the park, came down and told them to stay there as she was calling the police.

“When four cars turned up, it seemed like an over-reaction.”

Sergeant Phil Godfrey said that it could have been merited by the large number of people involved in the incident. He said: “We had a call which said a group of kids was picking on another group of kids, and they reckoned there were in excess of 30 involved.”

Sgt Godfrey also said that units already in the area may have dropped by to assist.