Council workers were called to the scene of a Papamoa beach party this morning after a group of up to 60 teenagers left a trail of broken glass and litter.

Concerned residents contacted the authorities after smashed glass was spotted across a large area of the beach near the intersection of Maranui Street and Papamoa Beach Road.

Council contractors are today cleaning up broken glass in Papamoa after a large-scale beach party last night. Photos: Supplied.

The mess was left by around 60 teens, who were described as being aged between 13 and 16. Mount Maunganui Fire Service was called after reports of a beach fire as well as fireworks being let off.

According to reports, while extinguishing the fire brought the party to a halt, swathes of broken glass lay on the beach through the tide cycle overnight.

A concerned local, who wishes to remain anonymous, says a major worry is the effect broken glass could have for weeks and months to come.

'The problem is, the tide has come up and washed a lot of that glass under the sand,” says the angry resident.

'It's an accident waiting to happen. All it would take is for a little kid to run through there in six months' time and things would turn nasty.

'I can see some poor guy going down there and just picking up the glass he can see, and not bothering to clean up some of the sand where the fire was. I really hope the council contractor guys have a look underneath.”

Party goers are thought to have thrown their empty bottles around the fire before they smashed after becoming brittle from the heat.

'It's not a good situation,” says the resident. 'Very few people around here begrudge people enjoying themselves on the beach, as long as they clean up after themselves.”

Fire fighters were called to the party at 9pm and then again 11.30pm, when the fire was put out.

According the current Tauranga City Council Beaches Bylaw, fires are permitted on the city's beaches between 5am and 11pm.

All fires must be below the high tide mark, be less than one meter in diameter and must be under supervision at all times.

The person lighting the fire must ensure there is some form of extinguishment available and the fire must be extinguished with water before leaving it. All litter and dangerous debris must be removed.

Fires on the beach are not permitted during any period where fires are prohibited under the Fire Prevention Bylaw.

The bylaw is currently under review.

'There are some areas that we need to have a closer look at,” says Tauranga fire safety risk manager Bill Rackham.

'Not so much to obstruct the public, but to try and put some systems in place to do with safer open fires, fireworks and flying lanterns.”

Tauranga City Council's current fire bylaw is 'very relaxed” when compared with the bylaws of other territorial local authorities, says Bill.