CROWDS of teenagers gathering behind a derelict leisure centre close to the River Lagan "has the potential for a disaster", police have warned.
Land to the rear of the Maysfield Leisure Centre, which closed in 2004 and is undergoing renovation work to be turned into office space, has become a meeting spot for up to 200 young people at weekends and during the Easter holidays.
Police took to social media to warn parents of the dangers of their children congregating there.
In a Facebook post, the PSNI wrote: "Groups of children aged 11-17 years and up to 200 in number gather mainly at the weekends, many have alcohol taken, and being so close to the River Lagan this has the potential for a disaster.
"The Easter break has also seen children gathering here from all parts of Belfast. We are also aware of large groups of kids being dropped off in the Markets area and engaging in antisocial behaviour. We would always prefer that you know what is going on, that way you can do something about it."
Maysfield was one of six leisure centres built across Belfast in the late 1970s.
Global customer services firm Concentrix is now converting the old site into office space, with the building set to accommodate around 1,600 workers.
