Teenagers ran riot through Didcot town centre, smashing telephone kiosks, damaging cars and bombarding dinner dance guests with beer bottles outside the Civic Hall.

Frightened staff who dialled 999 as teenage hooligans entered the foyer and went into the ladies lavatories, were informed local police were fully stretched on December 7 and no officers were available.

Members and guests of the North Berks Motorcycle Club were attending their annual presentation night when a gang of 40 hooligans began causing trouble.

Hall staff called on motorcycle club members for help as the youths got inside the building.

Club chairman John Lightfoot said: "About 10 or 15 of our younger, fitter guests got up from their tables and chased the hooligans out of the hall into the car park.

"A group of the teenagers retreated to the opposite side of Britwell Road, outside Didcot Health Centre."

Mr Lightfoot, 65, added: "The yobs threw empty beer bottles over the railings at our members who had chased them off."

Mr Lightfoot, formerly a civilian communications officer with Thames Valley Police, tried to call for police assistance but was told no one was available.

About an hour later, two officers arrived and explained they had been "run ragged" by teenage hooligans in the town centre.

Mr Lightfoot said: "Without attempting to interview any of the youths who were still outside the hall, the officers said that they would collect a riot van from Didcot police station which they parked outside the hall.

"They hoped the empty vehicle would 'act as a deterrent' during the remainder of the evening."

Police made no arrests during the incident at the Civic Hall.

Thames Valley Police spokesman Paul Anthem said: "We have to hold our hands up to the fact that because of the Thames Valley Police budget, we're under-resourced and cannot provide enough police at Didcot."

Town councillor Mike McNulty said the problems of young people causing trouble had become intolerable for staff and people using the hall. In September, an employee of Bookpoint, at Milton Business Park, needed six stitches around his eye after being attacked while remonstrating with drunken youths during the firm's annual quiz night at the hall.