Hundreds of revellers who were set to attend an unlicensed music event are being told to stay home after police shut it down before it even started.
Northumbria Police suspected an illegal rave was set to take place at a disused building on Saturday night but it was stopped in its tracks.
Officers received reports that the event was being held in the rural countryside near to the border of County Durham at Consett.
Police went to the area and were able to intervene as the organisers arrived at the building to set up their music equipment.
A number of arrests have been made and equipment has been seized. Those detained remain in police custody at this time.
Now police are warning revellers who planned to attend the suspected rave that they face being reported for coronavirus breaches if they visit the area.
Chief Insp Steve Readdie, of Northumbria Police, said: "Holding an event of this nature in the midst of a pandemic is irresponsible and completely unacceptable.
"It dramatically increases the chances of the virus spreading and undermines all of the hard work being done by the wider community to keep one another safe.
"Stopping this event in its tracks is a result of a lot of hard police work by ourselves and our colleagues at Durham Constabulary.
"Hundreds of people had bought tickets to attend an event in a disused building and our message is simple – don’t bother turning up.
"The organisers already face police action and if you turn up at this event then you could too face being issued with a fine under coronavirus legislation."
