The police were called to disperse an angry crowd of teenagers who had showed up expecting an after prom party to discover that it wasn’t going to be taking place.

The school leavers from Sanders Draper School in Suttons Lane, Hornchurch had turned up in Ford Lane, Rainham at 1am on Friday June 28, hoping to continue their night of celebrations.

A neighbour, who didn’t want to be named said: “It looked like there were more than 100 teenagers outside just standing there, I didn’t know what happened, but there definitely wasn’t a party.”

The teenagers had attended their prom hours before, organised by their school, at Orsett Hall in Grays and were expecting to continue the celebrations at a party put on by another student.

They had all forked out £10 each for the bash and some had even splashed out on new outfits.

But on arrival they were left stranded outside before being confronted by an angry parent who told them that the party was not going ahead.

The celebrations turned sour when the police had to be called out.

Parent, Nikki said that her daughter was one of the first ones to turn up.

She said: “More and more students were turning up in booked cabs and were just left to wait.

“Then they said that someone came out and said that the party was not going to be happening, they were all really angry.”

She added: “It was supposed to be a once in a lifetime experience, but it was just ruined.”

The students, who were forced to make their own way home in the early hours of the morning, took to social networking site Twitter to vent their anger.

Millie Sharpe ‏wrote “prom is ruined thank you very much”.

David Baah added: “I feel sorry for all the girls in our year who spent a lot of money on their after party dresses.

Georgie wrote: “I’m still in shock that after party didn’t happen.”

After prom parties have become a tradition at a number of schools in Havering and a student had stepped forward to organise the event to make sure that this year’s school leavers wouldn’t miss out.

The students have all been reimbursed with the funds.

Nikki added: “I got the money back, but it is more the principle, they are never going to get that moment back again.”