Police caught children as young as 14 drinking in the street over the weekend.

Officers have highlighted an "alarming" rise in underage drinking in Ayrshire after they seized a large haul of alcohol in just two days from youths.

Police seized over 20 litres of alcohol on Friday and Saturday after targeting local drinking spots. The alcohol was recovered and then destroyed.

The action from police came in response to concerns raised by the local community and officers were deployed on foot and bicycles in the areas identified as hotspots for disorder and antisocial behaviour.

In 2014, it was revealed almost 1000 drunken youths across Scotland were taken to hospital as a result of alcohol-related incidents every year for the previous three years.

A study the same year of almost 3000 Scots youths found that 36% of those surveyed had binged on alcohol at least once by the age of 13.

That is compared to a figure of 25% in Germany, 33% in Poland and 26% in Italy.

Sergeant Jason Peter, of the Irvine Locality Policing Team in Ayrshire, said: "Our focus is to keep people safe - it is alarming that we are seizing quantities of alcohol from people as young as 14 at weekends.

"We will continue to work with our partners, the licensed trade and communities to reduce the consumption of alcohol by young people and keep them safe.

"In the coming weeks we will continue patrols in the areas highlighted and I would ask anyone with information on where young people are sourcing the alcohol to contact us.

"Anyone with concerns or information on crime in their area is encouraged to contact Police Scotland by calling 101.

"Information can also be provided anonymously by calling the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Earlier this year, STV News revealed a growing number of Illegal alcohol delivery services linked to organised crime gangs were operating in Scotland and selling drink to youngsters outwith legal licensing hours.

The so-called "dial a drink" or "dial a booze" services are emerging throughout Scotland's communities, especially in and around Glasgow.

Politicians said Scotland has a "dial a drink epidemic emerging", with others branding the issue "very worrying" and police now actively targeting the illicit businesses in undercover operations after it was highlighted as "an emerging issue" in a police report.