CELIA WIGG A track in Thetford Forest was blocked off by police today to prevent more people joining an illegal rave in the early hours that attracted an estimated 400 partygoers.

CELIA WIGG

A track in Thetford Forest was blocked off by police yesterday to prevent more people joining an illegal rave in the early hours that attracted an estimated 400 partygoers. It ended peacefully.

Officers were alerted just after midnight on Saturday by Suffolk Constabulary - which was monitoring a gathering of vehicles in their area - that an illegal music event might take place in Norfolk. But the exact location was unknown.

Officers from Norfolk searched the area and though several large groups of vehicles were seen at various locations, including on the road between Munford and Weeting, near Brandon, there was no sound of music in the area at that time.

Following further searches, music was detected coming from an unpopulated area of the forest off the B1112 Road, after turning off right at the crossroads with the Weeting to Feltwell Road.

They found about 100 vehicles parked in the wooded area of the fire rides between Cranwich Heath and Brandon - on the Norfolk/Suffolk border.

Police officers liaised with the duty forestry officer, and remained at the site throughout the day gathering evidence and information to identify the organisers of the rave.

A police spokesman at the scene said: “When I got here this morning there were probably between 60-70 vehicles. Obviously it has been monitored by police overnight, and we are stopping anybody going to the site, basically to prevent any further attendance.

“There have not been any arrests as far as I am aware and no complaints - hence the reason for monitoring the event.”

He added: “We have got a large number of people leaving now. It is coming to a close and I am hoping it will be knocked on the head by 4pm.”