Girls as young as 13 are at the forefront of a rise in underage street drinking on a housing estate.

Large groups of teenagers are sneaking out of their homes after their parents have gone to bed and congregating every night on street corners in Whitehawk, Brighton, to swig neat vodka.

Others are more blatant, meeting as early as 6pm to drink with friends.

Residents on the estate have told police they believe teenage drinkers, particularly girls, are becoming an increasing scourge for the community in east Brighton.

PC Chris Callaghan, who covers the Whitehawk beat, told a crime prevention forum: "There is a problem with drinking. Girls of 14 are consuming a lot of alcohol every day."

PC Callaghan said he was trying to get alcohol outreach workers to help deal with the problem.

People in Whitehawk are setting up a working party to investigate the problem and find solutions.

Resident Cherry Channon told the crime forum: "These children are 13, 14 and 15 years old.

"I want to know where their parents are. They shouldn't be out drinking."

Faith Matyszak, also of Whitehawk, said: "They meet at about 6pm to 8pm and they are drinking quite heavily.

"This happens every day. It's far more serious than people realise."

Businesses selling alcohol in Whitehawk are working with residents to ensure young people do not buy drink from them.

But residents told the forum alcohol was being brought on to the estate, possibly by older people who were handing it to youngsters.

Darren Snow, who runs the Crew Club youth centre in Whitehawk, said: "We have to work with young people and stop looking at them being a problem but I'm confident there's a way to integrate them back into the community."