Hooligans ruin kids' Christmas party

The Escape Young Parents Support Group party was cancelled when hooligans made its venue, Shakespeare Hall in Fort Road, unusable.

Pam Perry, project manager for the Newhaven Childcare Initiative, explained: 'During the night somebody had discharged a dry powder fire extinguisher through the letter box of the hall causing a thick layer of choking dust over the whole building.

'It looked like it had snowed inside.'

The news had to be broken to disappointed parents and children, aged from four weeks to four, that the party was cancelled.

Pam said: 'Volunteers worked relentlessly for four hours to clear the dust without success, so parents and children were turned away at the door.'

Fortunately, the mess was not toxic. The party has now been rescheduled for the New Year.

The Escape Young Parents Support Group is organised by the Newhaven Childcare Initiative, supported by health visitors and funded by the local health authority.

It runs a weekly group for young parents offering them the opportunity to meet and socialise with others, learn new skills and chat informally to a health visitor.