Illegal Valentine's rave in Devon Forest shut down

An illegal rave was shut down at Haldon Forest on Sunday, Devon and Cornwall Police has said.

Officers responded to reports of the event near the A38, with about 250-300 people involved.

Two sets of speaker equipment were seized and by 03:00 GMT the event had been shut down.

Police believe it was advertised via social media as a "Valentine's Rave". Officers said one arrest was made for drink and drug driving offenses.

Officers put road checkpoints in place due to the intoxication and substance misuse on site to ensure nobody was driving under the influence or putting other road users in danger when leaving the site.

Acting Ch Insp Steve Philp said: "The area had been completely cleared by the early afternoon on Sunday.

"A potentially difficult situation was resolved quickly and peacefully.

"Illegal raves were not just a nuisance to local communities by playing loud music, blocking roads and littering the area, but they are a danger to those who attend too."

Mr Philip said the remote locations often chosen for illegal raves were "often not suitable for large scale gatherings".

He said the potential for harm was high when the lack of medical teams present was combined with alcohol and illegal substance use.

Follow BBC News South West on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].