A mother who gives her 15-year-old son alcohol to stop him getting drunk on the streets has defended her actions.

Tara Hartley, 37, said her son Kane Penny would end up drinking in parks and getting in trouble with the police if she did not teach him how to drink responsibly.

She called for more services to stop teenagers resorting to alcohol and drugs as a way to pass their time.

Miss Hartley, from Torridge Close, Durrington, Worthing, said she allowed her son to drink beer with his friends in the house in an attempt to curb his wild behaviour.

She said Kane began experimenting with drink when he was just 13 and quickly found himself in trouble with the police.

Miss Hartley said it was only with the intervention of West Sussex Youth Offending Team that Kane has been able to start turning his life around.

She said: "Of course I would rather Kane didn't drink. He is only 15. But I would rather he drinks at home than know he is in a park getting drunk and was causing damage to someone or something.

"I want him to realise you can drink responsibly, with a meal, without having to get drunk.

"Like every mother I have tried to do the best for my family, but you can't watch your children 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

"It is a bit naive of people who put all the blame for children drinking on parents. When they go to school they need some money for lunch.

"All you need is for a few kids with a couple of pounds each and they can club together to get a couple of bottles of wine.

"If kids want to go out and get drunk they will find a way. Unless you are living the experience it is quite hard to understand."

Miss Hartley said more needed to be done to help understand the reasons why teenagers turn to drink.

She said parents should be given support and advise on how to deal with their teenagers.

She said: "I tried to get help from my doctors, social services and even the school nurse. I tried everyone.

"As a mum I don't know everything. We don't know how to deal with every subject.

"It took me until he was 14 to get some help, but by that time he was at secondary school and already in a lot of trouble.

"There needs to be some kind of system where it doesn't take five or six years of asking before people can get help."

Miss Hartley also stressed the importance of giving young people more options than spending their free time in gangs, taking drugs and drinking.

This included setting up subsidised youth clubs which help give teenagers some direction and purpose.

She said: "It is all well and good for the Government to keep passing the buck, but they need to start looking at the real problems which lead children to start drinking."

Do you agree with Miss Hartley's idea about giving her son booze at home to stop him drinking on the streets? Tell us what you think below.