PARENTS in the Isle of Man have been urged to keep a closer eye on what their children get up to at the weekend.

The appeal, issued by police, follows an incident in the south of the Island on Saturday night (January 28).

More than 30 young people had gathered at a house without the knowledge of the host's parents and according to Sergeant Paul Kemp what followed was an "unsavoury mix of underage drinking and damage".

Sergeant Kemp, who is part of the Southern Neighbourhood Policing Team, said the incident was a "stark reminder" of how quickly parties can get out of hand.

He explained: "This was a sharp reminder to a number of parents as to how important it is to know where your children are.

"It was quite clear to us that some of these youngsters had led their parents a merry dance and weren't where they were supposed to be.

"The result is often us arriving on your doorstep with your worse-for-wear son or daughter or, worse still, calling to let you know that they are up at the accident and emergency department as they are a medical concern due to the amount of alcohol they have consumed.
 
"The police are ultimately here to keep everyone safe but we'd much rather make sure that parents and carers discharged that duty to their children.

"When we become involved we are duty bound to follow up any issues arising. It is much easier to avoid the situation in the first place.

"Please make sure that you know where your children are and what they are up to."

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