Police broke up a 200-person rave in an active sewer

Newcastle Police were called to a sewer at the mouth of the River Ouseburn in the city at the weekend, following reports of a “dangerous” illegal party.

An estimated 200 people were present at the event, reports the Evening Standard, taking underground raving to a new level.

Organisers had publicised the party on Facebook, with revellers meeting at a nearby pub before being led to the site and wading through filthy water to access the sewer. It was eventually shut down at 4am on Sunday morning after multiple attendees contacted police with safety concerns.

Laura Hill, a reporter for the Newcastle Chronicle, has posted videos on Twitter showing a makeshift bridge at the entrance and discarded cups and laughing gas canisters in the tunnel. There is no word on whether any Ninja Turtle pills were consumed, or in attendance.

University students are believed to be responsible for organising the rave. No arrests have currently been made, with an investigation ongoing.

Chief Inspector Dave Pickett, of Central Area Command, said: "You can clearly see from the pictures that this is a dangerous site for members of the public, nevermind an appropriate party venue.

"It is not an area that is easy to access so if anyone needed the assistance of the emergency services then they would have been in severe trouble.

"We are very lucky that we are not talking about a more serious incident, particularly when you consider that many of those involved were under the influence of alcohol."

On the same night further south down the country in Nottinghamshire, police shut down a DJ lesson in a school that escalated into a late-night rave.

Patrick Hinton is Mixmag's Digital Staff Writer, follow him on Twitter