Campaign uses drinking bans and clampdowns on retailers

She told Parliament, trading standards, police and local retailers are leading the way in tackling the problem.

The police can already take alcohol from youngsters in public if they are suspected of crime or disorder.

Now the Home Secretary is looking at tightening the law stopping under-18s carrying alcohol in public.

"Alongside the continuing education of young people about the dangers of alcohol we are seeing a decline in the number of retailers willing to sell to them," she said.

"However nearly half of the alcohol obtained by young people appears to have come from within the family home.

"The idea you can hand kids a six pack of lager and tell them to disappear for the evening is completely baffling to me.

"In Cambridgeshire the Think 21 campaign involving trading standards, police and local retailers working with parents and young people is raising awareness of alcohol harm and has led to reduced sales."

Cambridgeshire trading stadards said: "Through the campaign, we are encouraging retailers to refuse to sell age restricted products to anyone who appears to be 21 years old and does not have an acceptable form of photo identification.