MORE than 100 children, parents and coaches from a youth football team were “evicted” from a Yorkshire holiday park on Sunday following a string of “unruly” incidents – including one arrest.

Several teams from Preston Athletic Youth Football Club, Prestonpans – featuring players aged between seven and 14 years old – ventured south last Friday to take part in the weekend-long Flamingo Land Soccer Festival.

But they were asked to leave the famous Flamingo Land theme park, where they were staying, on Sunday – and were forced to return to Scotland a day earlier than planned – due to alleged “anti-social behaviour” from adults and children in the group.

During one incident, police arrested an 18-year-old woman from the group during an altercation with a 40-year-old man and members of the security team at the park on Saturday evening.

North Yorkshire Police confirmed the woman was arrested on suspicion of assault, though no charges were made against her. Instead, the matter was resolved through a Community Resolution Disposal – a written apology by the woman and a verbal apology by the man.

Further incidents included: park security being called to a domestic dispute between two committee members; 2005-age group players being banned from the swimming pool; and an allegation that 2005-age group players deliberately flooded a restaurant toilet.

In an statement to parents on Monday, club chairman Alan Morgan apologised “for the distress caused to everyone” and pledged to contact Flamingo Land to “raise concerns” about “punishing 100-plus people” due to the “actions of a few”.

Andy Miller, spokesperson for Flamingo Land, told the Courier: “Flamingo Land is a happy, safe and well-run family holiday destination.

"The anti-social behaviour which was displayed by members of the football team in question couldn’t be tolerated as it was interfering with other guests’ enjoyment.

"The decision was taken by the tournament organisers to evict the team involved.”

After alleged incidents on Friday evening involving various football clubs, the competition organisers, in conjunction with the park itself, held a meeting on Saturday morning to warn all teams in attendance that behaviour off the park had to improve.

Mr Miller added: “Then, after the events of Saturday night, there wasn’t really an option but to discuss with the organisers of the tournament the consequences for the team for this behaviour.”

The park confirmed that on Sunday Preston Athletic were asked to leave and did so in the afternoon. Their teams played all their games but the Prestonpans group had been due to stay another evening. No other team was asked to leave early.

The teams attending the park included Preston Athletic YFC’s 2005, 2008, 2009 and 2011 teams, along with coaches and members of the committee, making up a party of 111 people in total.

The organisers of the tournament, which was played at nearby Malton Community Sports Centre, were R&T Tours, whose spokesperson said: “Preston Athletic YFC were evicted from the holiday park on Sunday following a series of incidents involving unruly behaviour, a domestic incident between man and wife, and an assault on a security guard by a male and female which resulted in the police being called and at least one arrest.

“Due to the nature of the offences, the management of Flamingo Land insisted on eviction from the park of the whole group and we gave the holiday park our full support.

"The teams did not miss out on their football matches and all football games had finished prior to them leaving the park, and the schedule was unaffected.”

The R&T Tours spokesperson added: “Our representatives on the park gave the chairman of Preston Athletic their participation medals to take away with them.”

An official statement from Alan Morgan, chairman of the club, was posted on Facebook and a meeting of parents and members was held in Prestonpans on Monday evening.

The statement said: “The decision by Flamingo Land to remove the whole group was based on a number of incidents over the Friday and Saturday evening pertaining to the events below.

“Friday: 2005s players banned from the swimming pool and all children to be accompanied by an adult when attending the pool; 2005s players reported to have deliberately flooded a restaurant toilet. Awaiting more information at this time regarding CCTV to identify those involved.

“Saturday: a young woman and father involved in an altercation with staff and police, with the woman being detained for safety reasons; [and] a domestic altercation between a couple from the committee in one of the main bars, with security from site required to attend to defuse the situation.”

The statement continued: “The committee will take into consideration all actions on the next steps that the club will be required to make.

“I will be contacting Flamingo Land separately to raise our concerns on the handling of the matter to punish 100-plus people based on the actions of a few and the treatment.

"My sincere apologies for the distress caused to everyone.”

One committee member offered their resignation, posting on Facebook: “I would like to apologise to everyone that was at Flamingo Land on behalf of myself and the other member of the committee that was involved in the Saturday night antics – this should never have happened and we can’t apologise enough.

“This will be something that we will always regret and feel very disappointed about and, out of respect to all the kids, we will be looking to stand down from the committee.

“We have been with the club for years and can honestly say that it is a great club; please don’t let the mistakes of a few ruin the hard work that goes into running the club.”

One angry parent said that the adults involved in allegedly alcohol-fuelled incidents “ought to be ashamed of themselves”, calling the behaviour “disgusting”.

They added: “Not for a minute did I think that the people that were in charge of a group of youngsters would have set such a shocking example.

“It’s embarrassing. You’re meant to be the adults here.

"We parents sent our boys down for an experience and a good time, with great expense might I add, for it to get cut short in shocking and disgusting circumstances.”

And one online comment accused the chairman of “blaming the kids”.

It said: “Please elaborate more on behaviour of some of [the] coaches etc instead of trying to blame the kids. Flamingo Land told me they have never thrown anybody out of the site as a group.

“A blocked toilet, while admittedly not great behaviour, would not get 50 kids thrown out of the resort. You all know the truth. Please be big enough to accept responsibility.

“Trying to blame 14-year-old boys is shameful. To be thrown off a resort is not the result of a few teenagers and you guys are well aware of it.”

However, there were also comments of support, with one person saying: “I don’t think they are putting all on the blame on the kids. They’ve apologised, that’s all they can do.

"My son came home and all he could talk about was what a brilliant time he had, and I thank the coaches for allowing him to have that experience.”

Ferhan Ashiq, member of Prestonpans Community Council and current sponsor of the 2012 team, said: “Preston Athletic Youth FC are a fantastic team who work really hard every week to be the best they can be.

“I am saddened to hear that the adults who had accompanied the children acted irresponsibly and tarnished the good name of the club. They should have been setting an example for the children and not engaging in altercations.”

Chairman Alan Morgan told the Courier: “This is a club internal matter and will be managed by the club committee.

“There are ongoing discussions with all parties involved.”