Campers fed up with booze-laden teenagers | Canterbury News | Local News in Canterbury

Okains Bay campers are sick of parents dropping off booze-laden teenagers at the popular Banks Peninsula camping ground for a binge-drinking New Year celebration.

A group of 15 Rolleston youths is suspected of starting a fire that forced part of the camping ground to be evacuated early on New Year's Day.

Volunteer firefighters from Akaroa were called out to a scrub fire alongside the camping ground at 4.38am and took just over an hour to douse the smouldering undergrowth.

After being thrown out of the camping ground on New Year's Eve, the youths had threatened to burn it down.

Camping ground spokeswoman Sandy Gosling said the youths had been causing problems, racing cars along the beach and fighting with other young people.

"We had to call the police. They had knives and stuff," she said. After being evicted, the youths sneaked back and were seen "roaming around" among the 500 camping ground revelers late on New Year's Eve.

Mrs Gosling said the youths had also broken a window in the camp kitchen.

Part of the camping ground had to be evacuated, with smoke billowing through the tents and caravans from the scrub fire.

Okains Bay reserve management committee chairman Richard Boleyn said after discussing the issue with campers, he would work with police and the city council to push for a liquor ban for the New Year period.

"The problem is parents dropping their teenagers over here with a truckload of booze and letting them go for it," he said. "We talk about a binge drinking problem in this country, but parents are encouraging it."

Mr Boleyn said the youths were "bloody obnoxious ... just a bunch of toerags" and were well known to police.

"The police officer from Lincoln seemed to know them all by their first names," he said.

They were believed to have started the fire, but police and firefighters were unable to prove the fire had been lit deliberately.

• Meanwhile, the Hurunui District Council is enforcing a no dogs policy at the Amberley Beach Camp after complaints. Campers with dogs were given a day to remove their pets.