Pitched battles between groups of young teenagers broke out in Brighton and Hove city centre last night.

Two girls were beaten to the ground and one, just 14, was kicked in the head and had to be taken to hospital for treatment.

Another fight, at the Churchill Square shopping centre, involved 25 boys and girls.

The punch-ups happened towards the end of a teenage club night at The Event II in West Street, which attracted 1,400 youngsters aged 14 to 17.

No alcohol was served but police said under-age drinking was the main cause of the trouble.

The Event employed eight security staff to stop any youngster who had been drinking from entering and to search for bottles and cans of alcohol.

Staff were verbally abused and spat at by some of those refused entry.

Troublemakers stayed around in the area, apparently looking for arguments and fights.

Most youngsters enjoyed a successful evening but the trouble has made Event management think about holding such nights in the future.

Event manager Tony Buck said the next UK Club Night would go ahead on April 14 but "we'll see how that goes before deciding on future events."

The first fight broke out at 10.37pm opposite the club and the second a few minutes later in Western Road, when the two young girls were attacked and beaten.

The Churchill Square battle broke out at 10.44pm and 20 minutes later a large fight erupted outside the Odeon cinema entrance, next to the Event.

Police said no arrests were made but inquiries to trace culprits were continuing. CCTV footage was being studied today.

A force spokesman said: "Drink appears to be the main cause, whether they smuggled it into the Event or drank before they went there."

But Mr Buck said stringent door policy stopped drink getting in: "We had St John Ambulance Brigade staff on hand and they helped only two girls who were suffering from the effects of alcohol."

Mr Buck blamed a group of troublemakers for the problems.

He said: "There was a group from Whitehawk who turned up intoxicated and we did not allow them in."