Tyres slashed on seven police vehicles as officers disperse an illegal rave in Wigan attended by 300 people

Police say they dispersed around 300 people at the event and dozens of people arriving were turned away from the farm, which was in Astley, close to the border with Glazebury.

They were told an unlicensed music event was taking place at 8.45pm by the owner of the farm, who had returned to the 320-acre site to find a large number of people gathered there with music equipment and loud music playing.

A large co-ordinated response took place, led by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) – supported by the force’s dedicated operation for large-scale Covid-19 breaches – with assistance from Cheshire Police, British Transport Police (BTP), the National Police Air Service (NPAS) and Network Rail.

They stopped access to several routes to the site and a section 35 dispersal order was imposed on either side of the county border by both GMP and Cheshire Police until 6am on Sunday.

Police dispersed the 300 people, with measures taken to ensure a safe and orderly exit from the site, including working alongside Network Rail and BTP to prevent disruption to the nearby railway line and to mitigate any possible dangers.

Despite police advice, many people left on foot, going across the railway tracks while trains were still active in the area.

Two men were arrested - a 26-year-old on suspicion of not providing personal details for a fixed penalty notice and a 36-year-old for possession of class A drugs.

The tyres of seven police vehicles were slashed, while officers searching the site found a machete in bushes.

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

Police received no prior intelligence of the incident and an investigation has been launched into the organisation of the event, with initial inquiries ongoing.

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.

“Thankfully our officers, alongside supporting resources from Cheshire, BTP, NPAS and Network Rail, were able to put a swift end to the event and prevent further large numbers people attending, as well as ensuring a safe and orderly exit from the site despite the challenges posed by the surrounding terrain.

“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.

“Our dedicated plans to tackle events like these meant that this illegal gathering didn’t compromise our response to other ongoing incidents, but we must all work together and continue to abide by the government regulations to avoid unnecessary demands on all emergency services. Where there are blatant breaches there will be robust enforcement.”

Any information about this event can be reported to police on 0161 856 3034, quoting incident 3231 of October 31. Details can also be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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