Landowner to beef up security after illegal rave
© Adobe Stock The owner of Deenethorpe Airfield, a former RAF base near Corby, is bolstering security after an unlicensed music event caused disruption to local communities and farmland.
The rave, which attracted more than 150 people in the early hours of Sunday 23 February, left behind a trail of drug paraphernalia, prompting the landowner to take further precautions.
Northamptonshire Police were called to the site around 12:35am and arrived to find a large crowd already gathered.
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Given the numbers, clearing the area during the night was deemed too risky for both the public and officers. A road closure was immediately put in place to prevent further arrivals.
The landowner, who asked to remain anonymous, said staff had to clean up a significant amount of rubbish afterwards, including nitrous oxide canisters and drug paraphernalia.
“They broke a lock on a gate off the public highway on the A43 and entered the private land,” he explained.
“The rave started around midnight on Saturday and lasted until about 1pm on Sunday. The event took place on the former runway, with arable farmland on either side, which is part of the estate’s operations.”
He added: “The clean-up was extensive, and it was a major inconvenience for our workers, who should have been focused on other tasks. We will now have to increase security to prevent any future incidents like this.”
Residents up to five miles away told Farmers Weekly they endured a sleepless night due to the loud music. The landowner also questioned why police didn’t use their authority to confiscate the organisers’ music equipment.
Police response
Northamptonshire Police said it was working to identify those responsible for the unlicensed event and to prosecute them.
“Several hundred people were already on the site when officers first arrived at around 1am,” a force spokesman said.
“With the resources available to us at that point, it was not possible to safely remove people during the hours of darkness, and we took measures to close the site off to anyone else arriving.”
Anyone with information on the event is asked to call Northamptonshire Police on 101 quoting incident 19 of 23 February.
How to prevent illegal raves on your farmland
Unlicensed music events are more likely to occur on farms during Bank Holiday weekends, particularly at Easter or over the May bank holiday weekend.
Empty warehouses or farm fields are favourite venues for illegal music events, which can attract thousands.
The NFU advises landowners to secure gates, block access points and ensure barns are locked. Signs of suspicious activity may include slow-moving cars or unusual markings on roads or gates.
Any suspicious activity should be reported on 101, or call 999 if an event is in progress. Farmers can also report crime anonymously to Crimestoppers at 0800 555 111, or via the online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.