A cafe manager spent five hours in a police cell after confronting a gang of rowdy teenagers with a baseball bat.

Peter Attwood, whose business has suffered repeated vandal attacks, tackled the 40-strong group outside the Sea Lane Cafe, on Goring seafront.

Neighbours angry at the youngsters' noise and music had already called police but when officers arrived it was the cafe owner who was arrested, led away and left with a caution against his name for carrying an offensive weapon.

Mr Attwood, 40, who has worked at the cafe for 25 years, admitted today he was wrong to have the bat with him, although he did not use it and had placed it back in his car by the time officers arrived.

The cafe has been targeted by vandals when it is shut and teenagers party into the early hours at the site.

Mr Attwood said: "Young people have always met up here. There's a lot of underage drinking and we've had a couple of thousand pounds' damage with windows smashed and tables broken. We had an attempted break-in last week.

"The neighbours across the road are getting annoyed because the loud music they play can go on from 10pm until 2am. There's broken glass all over the beach and they wreck the beach huts. When the neighbours called, there were lots of them and some were throwing bottles about.

"I've got nothing against kids enjoying themselves but it's wrong when they break things and we have to foot the bill. When police came I approached the officers and they saw the bat in my car."

Mr Attwood said: "I've never been in trouble with the police before. It's unfair but I was in the wrong for carrying an offensive weapon. I had it just in case.

"I did not hit anybody but I told them to go and wreck their mum's house.

"I wish I had not taken the bat with me, then I would not have been arrested but I am not annoyed at the police. In that situation, you just do not know what you are up against."

Richard Waller, of Goring Residents' Association, said beach parties near the cafe left the area covered in glass. He said: "We get our share of vandalism although it is not as bad as central Worthing."

A police spokesman said: "This matter was investigated and a cautioned seemed appropriate. We would urge anyone having problems such as criminal damage to report it to us."