Avon and Somerset Constabulary has cautioned a journalist for supplying children with alcohol.

Hours after teenagers were given cider and alcopops some of them were involved in a serious disorder incident which left one youngster in a coma.

The 28-year-old journalist for South West News Service, who was based in Bristol at the time, bought the alcohol in the Filton area and supplied it to youngsters who were just 16 years old.

He said the youngsters were to be used as props for a photo shoot, believed to be for The Mirror, and were able to keep the alcohol after the shoot.

Later that night there was a serious incident in Stoke Gifford involving some of the youths who were in possession of the alcohol.

Two teenagers were taken to hospital with one of those injured being left in a coma for weeks afterwards. The disorder incident is still under investigation.

At the time, in February, neighbourhood policing inspector Simon Ellis described how many residents were seriously concerned about the incident.

He said: “The community is totally shocked with the serious nature of the assault. The local neighbourhood team share this shock as this sort of incident is far from common in our area.”

Although police do not believe the pictures were ever published, it is thought that they were being taken on behalf of a national newspaper which had launched a campaign to tackle underage drinking.