Parents and children are in uproar after eagerly anticipated after-Prom parties at Sweyne Park school and Fitzwimark school were cancelled.

An urgent meeting was held between the organisers, councillors and community police officers to discuss the event earlier this week. And a decision was made to stop them over fears of drunken rowdiness.

Claire, from Hullbridge, whose children have attended the party in previous years, said: “Only two parents complained about alcohol being there but there’s security so they had no reason to.

“It gives no-one else the time to organise something else and there will be 200 youngsters with nowhere to go.”

The Sweyne Park event, organised by parents, has been running for years. Now parents are concerned over-excited teens will flood the streets of Rayleigh and cause similar problems to those in Chalkwell last weekend when 2,000 teens caused chaos on the beach.

Another parent added: “It’s like a mini festival, everyone’s given wristbands. There’s security too. We don’t want people congregating and behaving in an anti-social way.”

Parents made it clear teenagers were gutted about the cancellation; Claire, 38, Eastwood, told the Echo: “My son was really looking forward to it. It’s a massive disappointment, it makes no sense.

“The alcohol issue isn’t a problem - the amount of alcohol consumed is down to the relationship between parent and child, alcohol isn’t sold at the event.

“There’s security there if they get too drunk and parents are called if there’s problems.”

A student from Sweyne Park, 16, Rayleigh, said: “I’m still going to the prom, I don’t want the cancellation to ruin it for me.

“All my mates just want to go home straight away.”

Councillor Cheryl Roe, deputy leader for Rochford Council, said: “Essex Police and environmental health submitted objections to these events, regarding the location, timing and management of the events.

“Allowing the events to take place would undermine all four of the licensing objectives.

“The council is sympathetic to the school leavers.”