TEENAGERS are getting drunk on the streets because County Hall suspended a popular Friday night youth club, critics claim.

Oxfordshire County Council is carrying out a review of safety at the Sweatbox, based at King Alfred Community and Sports College’s Springfield Drive campus, after it closed in December following concerns about underage drinking and high visitor numbers.

A scheduled reopening last month was postponed by the council, which said plans by manager Garry Kingett to breathalyse youngsters were against its youth policy.

The council also took issue with random bag searches, hired security and metal detectors.

At a stormy public meeting chaired by Louise Chapman, the council’s cabinet member for children, young people and families, at the school on Wednesday, about 100 staff, parents and youngsters expressed fears over the council’s decision.

During heated exchanges, Conservative Ms Chapman shouted at ward member Liberal Democrat Jenny Hannaby, telling her to sit down, claiming that she had “turned this into something political”.

At one point a member of the public accused her of being “confrontational”, a claim denied by Ms Chapman, who later told the audience “don’t underestimate me, I’m the best hope you’ve got”.

Michael Challenger, 16, from Appleford, said: “These health and safety issues are common sense.

“Since the club was postponed, I’ve seen 13-year-old children in Wantage absolutely trolleyed in the parks on a Friday night because they’ve got nowhere to go.

“I’ve been to youth centres across the county and this is the best one.”

One Sweatbox staff member said: “With this postponement the kids have lost all faith in us.

“Go down to the parks in Wantage this Friday and you will see youngsters getting drunk instead of being safe at the Sweatbox.”

A parent told Ms Chapman she would rather her teenage daughter had a breath test than got admitted to the John Radcliffe Hospital drunk.

Mrs Hannaby said: “Garry Kingett has the community’s backing 100 per cent – the work he has done for this town’s children has been amazing.”

Insp John Turner, of Wantage police, said issues concerning Sweatbox had been “minimal”.

He said: “I think the ideas planned for the relaunch were very good.

“I’ve committed myself and my officers to the project and will do whatever I can to take it forward.”

Ms Chapman said the issue was a “top priority” and the review would be finished by the end of April.

She previously said a drop-in session would continue to run at the youth club on Fridays to give young people somewhere to go.

But one mother at the meeting claimed young people would not turn up as they wanted to go somewhere with music.