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Riot police called as 'many hundreds' flout lockdown rules at midnight rave in east London

Officers were forced to scramble the police helicopter during the mass rave: Hackney Police
Officers were forced to scramble the police helicopter during the mass rave: Hackney Police

A huge illegal rave involving “hundreds” of revellers has been stormed by riot police in east London.

Pictures and videos posted on Snapchat showed scores of ravers gathered at the Springfield Estate, in Clapton, on Saturday night while a DJ played in the street.

The shocking footage enraged locals, with one saying “tensions are high", as the group flouted lockdown rules banning mass gatherings.

Officers were scrambled to the scene along with a helicopter at about midnight on Sunday, Hackney Police said.

The force said in a tweet that it involved "many hundreds of revellers".

Hundreds of riot police reportedly descended on the area to break up the rave, with photos on Twitter showing a large number of police vehicles.

Scotland Yard confirmed a “small number of arrests” were made for offences including assault on an emergency worker and breach of the peace.

Officers fired a taser on one reveller, the Met Police said.

"At around 21:00hrs on Saturday, 30 May, police became aware of a large number of people gathered at an unlicensed music event in the Springfield Estate, Clapton E5.

"Officers attended and engaged with those present to encourage them to go home.

“Colleagues from the National Police Air Service provided assistance.”

Pictures and videos from earlier in the day showed huge crowds sprawled across the nearby Hackney Marshes.

It came as thousands of Brits descended on beauty spots under scorching heat on Saturday, including packed scenes spotted at Bournemouth beach, the Peak District and Clapham Common.

At Durdle Door beach in Dorset, crowds of beachgoers were packed into two pens as two air ambulances landed and police were forced to evacuate the sands due to sunseekers jumping from a 200ft cliff.

Boris Johnson announced earlier this week that the lockdown rules would be eased again from Monday to allow people in England to meet in socially distanced groups of six.