UNDERAGE drinking is the number one problem on the streets of Tunbridge Wells, according to a review.

In 2008 there were 159 seizures of alcohol in the borough and all but five were from people aged under 18.

The town centre and Southborough were highlighted as areas where teenagers congregate and cause a disturbance.

The report by a Tunbridge Wells Borough Council select committee said there was "concern over the amount of underage drinking taking place within the town".

As a result a working group will be set up to look into:

Alcohol sales to young people

Proxy purchasing where adults buy alcohol for children

The effects of alcohol misuse on young people, with specific regard to health and the impact on communities

A possible responsible sales campaign asking retailers to go beyond the minimum enforceable standards

The borough's youth strategy and alternatives to binge drinking

In Southborough the town council has just cleared an area of undergrowth in the Ridgewaye playing fields where teenage drinkers hid from police.

Clerk Brenda Wickens said it was her staff who were left clearing up the mess: "Yesterday we found about 20 empty cans of drink dumped in the grass. It's probably once a week and nine times out of 10 we find smashed glass.

"They make camps where they can't be seen but then cause a nuisance when they have had too much to drink. These groups are in excess of 10, 12, or 14 kids and I'm told they hassle people who are of an age to buy alcohol to buy it on their behalf."

Southborough Pcso Lee Whitworth said Holden Pond and the nearby woods were currently the problem areas: "The main problem is some adults who think there isn't anything wrong in purchasing alcohol to give to underage young people. This is called proxy purchasing and we have issued fixed penalty notices to people found doing this.

"Underage drinking by its nature is done after dark in places where young people think they won't be found. Recently we removed a den that had been created in the woods near Holden Pond.

"We know it is a concern for local residents and so we will continue to take action and work with our partners to address the issue."

The review by the environment, safer and stronger communities select committee named both Costcutter, London Road, and Majestic Wine, St John's Road, as retailers alcohol appeared to be purchased from.

Costcutter manager Gemma Percy said: "We are aware of the problem of proxy purchasing and if we do know it is being passed on we refuse to serve the adults. We work in conjunction with community officers and pass CCTV images to them to deal withand they have been issuing £80 fines to people caught on camera."

Donna Morrison, spokesman for Majestic Wine, said: "All our alcohol is sold in cases so we don't have the same sort of problems with minors purchasing alcohol because we only sell in bulk. But we take our licensing responsibilities very seriously and operate a challenge 21 policy in all our stores."

Across Tunbridge Wells police are working with the borough's licensing team and Community Safety Partnership to tackle the issue – confiscating alcohol, prosecuting retail outlets, and providing diversionary activities for young people and sharing information across the organisations.

Insp Simon Wilshaw said: "We intend to continue taking action against those young people who act in an anti-social manner after drinking alcohol and do all we can to stop those who provide them with drink."

How easily can under-18s buy alcohol? Find out in next week's Courier