POLICE officers were pelted with cans and bottles when a student party got out control after being posted on social networking site Bebo.

Worried neighbours alerted police after 200 young people descended on the property in Latimer Road, Winton, on Friday night.

During the five-hour-long festivities, people rampaged down the road, smashing bottles and urinating in gardens.

Around 20 police officers, dog handlers and the police helicopter attended the scene.

A line of police officers forced the party-goers back towards Cranmer Road when a stand-off took place where revellers pelted officers with beer cans and bottles, and drunken youths climbed on to scaffolding around the mosque.

Officers managed to disperse the gathering by around 3am.

The incident echoes that of Australian teen Corey Delaney who achieved notoriety when his parents' home was trashed after details of his party were posted on MySpace. The incident has since sparked a string of copycat parties.

IT business analyst Richard Shorrocks, 43, said: "I came back just after midnight and as I came round the corner into the road there were taxis pulling up and groups of kids smashing bottles on the floor.

"The noise just got louder and louder and I could see it was getting out of hand. The noise didn't sound like a normal party. It was like a roar. It was a bit scary, there were so many people."

Grandmother of two, Pat Wilden, 59, said: "They were coming from every direction. They were lobbing empty cans and bottles."

Later the students said in a joint statement: "The party got out of hand and we are grateful for the assistance we received from the emergency services who helped to bring things under control. We are truly sorry for any inconvenience or disruption that we may have caused."

Charles Elder, spokesman for Bournemouth University, said: "We do appreciate how unnerving and confusing the experience must have been for those who were affected.

"The university does not condone antisocial behaviour and we will continue to work closely with the authorities, to ensure that the community experiences a positive relationship with students."

Insp Neil Munro said: "We have seen time and again in the media the effects of advertising events on social networking websites.

"It is never a good idea to encourage or allow strangers into your home. You have no control over the number of people who will turn up and the situation can quickly get out of the home-owner's control."

A 20-year-old man from Slough and a 25-year-old Bournemouth man were arrested on suspicion of assault but later released without charge.

A 22-year-old Bournemouth man was arrested on suspicion of a public order offence.