Three arrests were made in the early hours yesterday, after officers from Thames Valley Police broke up an illegal rave in South Oxfordshire.

Officers were called to The Ridgeway area, near East Hendred, at about 4am on Sunday.

A 28-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession of class-B and class-C drugs, a 20-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession of class-A drugs and a 52-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession of a class-B drug.

Officers also handed out eight Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) to people caught driving other than on the road and one vehicle was seized under section 165 of the Road Traffic Act for having no insurance.

The 28-year-old man has been bailed until May 22, the 20-year-old man has been bailed until April 24 and the 52-year-old man was given an £80 FPN.

Supt Chris Sharp, acting Local Police Area Commander for South Oxfordshire, said: “I hope that this crackdown sends out a strong message to the organisers and people who attend this type of event that these illegal rave will not be tolerated by Thames Valley Police.

“These events are not just illegal and unlicensed; they pose a serious risk to those attending as there are no measures in place to safeguard people’s safety.”