A POLICEWOMAN was assaulted and four arrests made after dozens of drunk teenagers began causing havoc following a town festival.

The success of Saturday's Ulverston Lantern Festival was marred by troublemakers in the town centre.

Police say children as young as 12 were caught drinking in the streets, causing several off licences to close early to try to stem the tide of drunken trouble.

Sergeant Rupert Johnson, of Ulverston police, said a good-natured evening was spoiled by some "disgusting behaviour".

During the festival 18 officers from Cumbria police were deployed to patrol the event.

At around 9.20pm, towards the end of the fireworks display, trouble began to mount as police tried to move a large group of children away from The Gill.

Scuffles broke out, with abusive and aggressive behaviour directed towards officers.

A spokesman for Cumbria police confirmed that four children aged between 13 and 17 were arrested; two for drunk and disorderly behaviour, one for a public order offence, and one for assaulting a female PC.

The four have since been released.

In spite of the shameful behaviour of some teens, the festival itself was a great success during its first year in the town centre. Read our report here.

The disruption was planned in advance. Sgt Johnson confirmed social media was used to help the children meet up.

He said: "Many of them had come by train, having organised this through Facebook. They came to Ulverston bringing drink with them, large quantities of it."

Sgt Johnson said around 60 youths initially went to Ford Park - previously the finishing point of the festival - but, after seeing it was empty, moved back to the town centre.

He continued: "They were attracted to the town by the lantern parade, but I think that was an excuse to come here to drink and cause trouble."

An Ulverston resident who lives near The Mill pub said: "People were getting paid to buy alcohol in Tesco and selling it on. They goaded the police, the police have arrested people where we were standing.

"We watched the police actually when a lot of them turned up out the back of The Mill. They poured the alcohol down the drains and were met with quite a vitriolic lot of abuse.

"Families were wandering around absolutely scared stiff."

The window of Vision Express in Market Place was smashed, and another group broke into the disused Bird in Hand pub, in Brewery Street.

Sgt Johnson said: "They didn't want to come out, but the police dog persuaded them it was a good idea."

Police eventually escorted the group of teens to Ulverston railway station where they were met on board by members of the British Transport police.

Commenting on the make up of the group, Sgt Johnson said: "It was predominantly youths from Barrow. There is no evidence it was Dalton kids, no children got off the train in Dalton. There will have been Ulverston kids in town."

After given a police report during a meeting of Ulverston Town Council on Monday night, Sgt Johnson and his team were praised.

Councillor Bob Brown said: "I would commend your officers."

Read more:

Hundreds of hours of hard work go into making all the lanterns, see our gallery from the night's processions.

Learn why this year's festival was moved from Ford Park.