Birmingham is illegal rave capital of UK as police shut down a staggering 125 lockdown parties during the weekend heatwave
- More than 600 revellers gathered in Aston, Birmingham, on Saturday night
- West Midlands Police branded behaviour ‘reckless’ and against lockdown rules
- Police also issued closure order to the Holly Bush Pub over antisocial behaviour
One UK police force busted a staggering 125 parties and raves as hundreds of Brummies flouted the law over the weekend.
West Midlands Police chiefs slammed revellers for holding ‘reckless gatherings’ as the region faces a surge in coronavirus cases.
A rave attended by 600 people in Brooklyn Avenue in Aston, Birmingham, was shut down on Saturday night.
Meanwhile a few miles away 60 revellers were caught partying in Ismere Road in Erdington, complete with a DJ.
Police also swooped on an illegal rave in Sorrell Park in Erdington.
West Midlands Police shut down 125 illegal raves in Birmingham at the weekend as revellers flouted coronavirus rules by meeting up in groups of more than 30 people across the city
Meanwhile officers also closed The Holly Bush Pub in Cradley Heath for 48 hours as a result of loud music and anti-social behaviour.
On Friday night the force also broke up a rave in Garrison Lane, Bordelsey Green, and a block party in Elliot Street, Nechells.
Police are using drones to scour the city’s skyline as they crackdown on flouters.
Police said they are using a range of resources across the force – from the dogs unit, drones and officers from the football unit as they act on information and prevent illegal meet ups of more than 30 people.
Chief Superintendent Claire Bell said: ‘We remain in a pandemic and reckless gatherings such as parties and unlicensed music events only increase the risk of spreading the virus.
‘You could be putting the lives of your family and friends at risk.
‘Such gatherings are not only illegal, they are a nuisance to others and a public health risk. We have resources in place to shut these events down.
‘We have an operation in place and while we seek to engage and educate people to follow the guidelines, we will seek to prosecute if this is ignored.
Police received eight noise complaints from nearby neighbours who had been kept awake until the early hours of Sunday morning by loud music during a rave in Walthamstow Forrest
‘We’re continuing to urge people to inform us if they hear of plans for large gatherings, we rely on information from you so we can act upon it.
‘You can contact us via Live Chat on our website or by calling 101.’
It follows news that the Met Police were forced to shut down a rave in Walthamstow Forrest at the weekend where more than 500 lockdown revellers kept residents awake until the early hours of the morning with loud music.