TEENAGE disco organiser Mark Bowden promised changes to future events after experiencing problems at the end of his Heventeen under-18s event last week.

The event, held at the Norbreck Castle Hotel on Queen's Promenade, attracted 1,700 teenagers, many wearing Afro-style wigs and Seventies clothes. The disco was the fourth such event to be held and even the DJ wore a wig and medallion for the Seventies-themed event.

Although the event was hailed as a success, Mark said around ten teenagers had been involved in skirmishes outside the venue after the disco, and the fights were broken up by organisers.

He said: "There were a couple of incidents with some kids who wanted to have a fight with each other. We normally have police waiting outside when the night is over, but with this one being on a Friday night the police were mainly in town, so they were very stretched."

He said the boys had their Heventeen membership cards taken away from them, preventing them from attending future events. And future Heventeen discos will be held on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday when Blackpool town centre is quieter and the police are not so stretched, he added.

As an added benefit, the hotel car park would also be less congested on a week night, Mark explained.

He also issued a warning to teenagers thinking of under-age drinking before the events.

"At the next Heventeen I am not going to tolerate people who have been drinking alcohol. We are going to be very strict.

"There will be 20 people on the door and if they have the slightest suspicion that someone has been drinking they will be refused admittance, their membership card will be withdrawn and they won't get it back.

"I'm appealing to parents to try and make sure that their children aren't drinking alcohol. I want Heventeen to be a safe environment for kids. It's the only under-18 disco available for teenagers round here and I don't want a small minority to ruin it."

Teenagers will also get help with transport to future events, with buses running into Blackpool and Fleetwood.

The next Heventeen is due to take place at the end of July, and parents with concerns can contact Mark on 886932.

"I just want to make sure that the whole event is safe for everyone," he said.

To apply for membership to Heventeen, contact Mark on 886932, or write to PO Box 85, Poulton-le-Fylde, FY6 7YA.