Police vow to stop pupil booze jaunts

2:35pm Wednesday 14th May 2008

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POLICE in Ramsbottom have vowed to prevent school leavers from taking booze up Holcombe Hill in an attempt to prevent a repeat of last year's chaotic scenes.

Officers began the operation on Friday, confiscating about 60 cans of beer and dozens of alcopops and bottles of vodka from about 150 youngsters who were heading for Peel Tower. Most of the youths were school leavers from St Gabriel's RC High School in Bury.

Last year, drunken pupils celebrating the end of their final year of school before their GCSE exams caused mayhem when they set fire to moorland on Holcombe Hill.

Police have said they are determined to prevent the same thing happening this year. PC Kevin Day said: "Last year the moors were ablaze and there were three fire engines up there on the last day of school.

"Residents feared for their safety. This year we have the benefit of hindsight and we're going to be on guard on Friday evenings to make sure no alcohol gets up Holcombe Hill.

"Thanks to Friday's operation, we seized an astonishing amount of drink from underaged children and there were only a few minor incidents. If other youngsters are planning to drink on Holcombe Hill, it's really not worth them wasting their time and money. We're not going to let them take the alcohol up there.

"About 90 per cent of the school pupils go up there with the intention of behaving and enjoying themselves responsibly but once a certain element in Ramsbottom gets wind of it they head up there too and things can get out of hand."

l Teachers at Woodhey High School meanwhile are attempting to abolish the concept of a last day of school for Year 11 pupils in a bid to avoid drunken revelry.

Year 11 pupils taking their GCSEs this summer have no official leaving date. Instead, they will be required to attend extra classes and revision sessions in school throughout the exam period in an attempt to keep them out of trouble.

Headteacher Martin Braidley said: "There is no date for the last day of school this year. Year 11 pupils will continue to come into school right up until their final exams. They will have some days off and time to revise at home but there will be something happening in school virtually every day."