Devon police break up illegal rave with 200-strong crowd

Police said there were 200 people attending the illegal rave in Hawkchurch

About 200 people attended an illegal rave in east Devon that was broken up by police.

The event was being held at a property in Hawkchurch overnight and about 100 cars were parked nearby.

Over almost five hours Devon and Cornwall Police sent in a number of units to clear the site near Axminster under the Public Order Act.

Sound equipment was confiscated and police dogs were used to break up the party. No arrests have been made.

In UK law, an illegal rave is when 20 or more people are "gathering on land in the open air" with music "that includes sounds wholly or predominantly characterised by the emission of a succession of repetitive beats" - at a level where it is loud enough to cause "serious distress to the inhabitants of the locality".

Police said there were 100 cars at the scene