Partygoers from across the UK were told to gather in Bristol on Friday night (April 7) ahead of an illegal rave in South Wales attended by more than 1,000 people. A partygoer said people were told to head to the Bristol area and wait for further directions to the secret location of the massive rave on Saturday.
The loose convoy of partygoers then continued to head over the Severn Bridge and down the M4 to an industrial estate between Cardiff and Swansea. Now police are still trying to clear the Welsh industrial estate near Port Talbot where more than 1,000 people gathered for a party over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.
Three people have been taken to hospital and there are reports of people lying on the sides of paths on Sunday (April 9). Police chiefs are warning people to stay away from the "illegal gathering" at Kenfig Industrial Estate.
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Police were first called to the scene at 11.40pm on Saturday (April 8) and music continued to blare out on Sunday morning despite efforts to disperse the party. They had come down the M4 from all over the country to find the secret gathering.
One reveller who would only give his name as Chris told colleagues at Wales Online the details when asked how people got to hear about the gathering on an industrial estate in Wales. He had personally travelled four hours to get there.
He said it all started about a week ago and added: “Everyone sends their numbers in on the social media group and then everyone gets a group text saying: 'Ring this number on this day.'
“Then on the phone line it gives you a general area to go to. Last night it said 'head to Bristol area'. So everyone in the country going was heading to Bristol last night.
"Then that changed to Cardiff as we were driving through the night. That's the best thing. It's an adventure. Eventually you find out where you're going. I've been going to them for years and you get to know so many people. It says on all texts: 'Respect the land and respect the police.'
"It's just a bit of fun getting loads of people together and having a party. I've always found as long as you're nice to the police they're decent."
On Sunday parked cars were still lining the road leading to the business estate and more people were arriving despite South Wales Police putting an order in place to direct people away from the site.
It warned that road closures had also been put in place for public safety reasons. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Travis said: “Initial reports indicated that in excess of 1000 people and 70 vehicles are in attendance. A number of officers have been deployed. We are urging people to leave the site safely and stay away from the event.
"The Welsh Ambulance Service has attended in response to calls from the scene. Currently three people have been taken to hospital, none of those persons are seriously injured."
Local resdient Chris Davies said: "I started work at 6am this morning and I thought it was a concert or something. You could hear it at the bottom of the hill. They're not much trouble. There were people walking down this morning and I stopped a guy and asked: 'What's going on? Is it a concert.' He just went 'Uuuhhh'. I wasn't getting much out of him."
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