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‘Quarter of a tonne of rubbish’ - Photos shows damage illegal rave left
Some of the rubbish collected from the site of an illegal rave in west Norfolk. Picture: Supplied - Credit: Archant
It took a team of nine people a full day to clear up the litter left behind after an illegal rave on a west Norfolk estate.
The rave, which took place in woodland which is part of the Gayton Estate off Massingham Road, between Great Massingham and Grimston, also damaged bird habitat and destroyed crops and wildflowers.
An estate employee, who did not want to be named, said the destruction caused by the Saturday, July 6 event showed raves caused more chaos than some people imagined.
He said: "Some people think raves don't do any harm, but that's not the case. It's the unseen damage that's the thing, and the effect on wildlife.
"There's an awful lot of rubbish that we picked up - it must have been a quarter tonne."
Some of the bottles, cans andother rubbish left at the site of an illegal rave in west Norfolk. Picture: Supplied - Credit: Archant
The employee said he and two colleagues were joined by six temporary workers, who found all manner of trash on the site, which is owned by Viscount David Marsham.
He said: "There was toilet paper all up the track, little zip bags, silver containers.
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"There must have been 100 vehicles itself that drove right up there, and all the others that were parked nearby of course."
The employee said the ravers left half an acre trampled ground, and damaged barley crops and a wildflower meadow.
The site of an illegal rave in west Norfolk, showing trampled ground and crops. Picture: Supplied - Credit: Archant
He said it was a "county wildlife site" that was home to different species of birds, whose habitat was affected.
"There was a barn owl box on the site and they didn't take any notice of that. Then there are also lots of ground nesting birds at this time of year. There's no rearing of peasants here at all - it's a wild bird estate."
More than 600 people are thought to have attended the rave, which was organised through Facebook.
Police were called to the rave on Saturday night after complaints over noise and monitored the event overnight. Officers swooped in the following the day after attendees had left.
Police arrested five people and seized sound equipment after breaking up a rave in Grimston, west Norfolk. Picture: Norfolk Police - Credit: Norfolk Police
Three men, aged 25, 28 and 31, were arrested in connection with organising the event and two other men, aged 20 and 33, were arrested at the scene on suspicion of drug-driving.
The five men have all been released under investigation while enquiries continue.
The estate worker praised the police's response.
He said: "Hopefully it will deter them in the future, because they know the police aren't going to put up with it anymore."
Police were called to an illegal rave at Grimston. Pic: Norfolk Constabulary. - Credit: Norfolk Constabulary
A sign at the site of the illegal rave in west Norfolk pointing out it is a barn owl nesting site. Picture: Supplied - Credit: Archant
Police arrested five people and seized sound equipment after breaking up a rave in Grimston, west Norfolk. Picture: Norfolk Police - Credit: Norfolk Police
