Police swoop on illegal rave in Wigan as hundreds of revellers party through the night

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Illegal raves in Bristol and Greater Manchester were shut down last night after the Prime Minister announced plans for a month-long national lockdown.   

Police swooped on raves as hundreds of revellers partied through the night just hours after Boris Johnson announced the winter lockdown on Saturday night. 

A rave in a woodland in Wigan, Greater Manchester was shut down by police in riot vans in the early hours of the morning. 

Tyres of police vehicles were slashed as officers dispersed hundreds of people from the illegal event.

Around 300 people people attended the illegal lockdown rave and revellers could be seen pouring from a wooded area in Astley on Warrington Road.  

The unlicensed music event was reported to police at 8.45pm by the owner of a farm, on the border with Glazebury in Cheshire, who had returned to the 320-acre site to find a large number of people gathered and loud music playing. 

Seven police vehicles had their tyres slashed and officers searching the site found a machete in an area of bushes.

Snapchat videos from the rave show people dancing to thumping music into the early hours of Sunday morning. 

Footage, captioned ‘lockdown rave’, on the social media platform showed a long line of police vehicles stationed nearby.  

Around fifteen riot vans could be seen parked on Warrington Road to break up the party.  

Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts said: ‘This event was unacceptable and a blatant disregard of, not only restrictions for Covid-19 and the safety of others, but also the safety of those present as we saw serious examples over the summer period of the dangers posed by attending such events. 

‘This event was a clear and flagrant breach of the regulations in place to keep people safe and a comprehensive investigation has been launched to bring the organisers to justice.

‘I would also like to reiterate our message from the summer to those thinking of attending these events and those willing to drop their children off at these illegal gatherings; while many may attend to have a good time, not everyone goes with the same intentions.

‘As well as being illegal, these events are not safe and the fact a machete was recovered from the site of this event is a worrying but important reminder that this very much remains the case.’

Police said a 26-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of not providing personal details for a fixed penalty notice and a 36-year-old man was arrested for possession of class A drugs.

One woman was treated by emergency services for injuries not believed to have been caused in suspicious circumstances.

A Section 35 dispersal order was imposed until 6am on Sunday.

A police helicopter was also seen circling for hours observing from above.

Police from both Cheshire & Manchester police are in attendance.

Another 500-strong crowd was broken up using rave legislation at an illegal rave in a warehouse in Yate, near Bristol.

Hundreds of people attending were dispersed after ravers were violent towards police officers. 

Avon and Somerset Police said in a statement they were called to reports of an illegal rave in a warehouse around 10.30pm on Saturday. 

Police including Covid-19 restriction enforcement officers attended, and when members of the crowd began acting violently towards them, rave legislation was enacted to order the crowd to disperse or face possible arrest.

 In a series of tweets, a police spokesman said: ‘The latest reports suggest 400-500 people are currently at the rave site.

‘Officers remain at the scene and further support is en route.

‘Members of the public have been violent towards officers. 

‘Rave legislation has been used, which means that people should leave the area, or will be liable to arrest.’

There were no immediate details of arrests in Bristol.