Police disperse hundreds from illegal event near Wigan

LONDON: Tyres of police vehicles were slashed as officers dispersed hundreds of people from an illegal event, a force has said.

Around 300 people gathered near Wigan on Saturday night while dozens more were turned away, a spokesman for Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said.

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, the force said.

In Yate, near Bristol, Avon and Somerset Police said they broke up an illegal rave on Saturday night where some of the 500-strong crowd were violent towards officers.

A force spokesman said they were called to the gathering at a warehouse at 10.30pm on Saturday 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. Assistant Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police Rob Potts said: “This event was unacceptable and a blatant disregard of, not only restrictions for Covid-19 and the safety of others...”