An illegal rave in East Lulworth has finally been dispersed after hours of noise for nearby residents.

The unauthorised gathering was first reported to police at 12.36am on Easter Sunday.

Officers will continue to maintain a presence in the area.

Residents have been thanked for their patience and support while police dealt with the incident.

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A spokesperson for Dorset Police said: "Throughout the night and day police supported by partner agencies including the MOD, Dorset Council, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue and other public services worked hard to deal with the risks and impacts on the local community and bring the event to a safe conclusion.

Deputy Chief Constable Sam de Reya said: “Throughout the incident we worked in partnership with other public sector and military agencies to achieve the positive resolution.

“Police officers entered the site and directed people to leave the scene of the unlawful gathering using powers under the Public Order Act.

As it happened: Police close roads around Dorset village to break-up illegal rave

"Due to the large scale of the event and the inherent impact of dispersing such high number of people, this process took some time.

"In our operations we always have to balance enforcement activities with the safety of our officers and all those involved. Making sure that a site is cleared without any escalation or moving the risk to our road network is always a difficult process.

“The unauthorised event started to disperse during the afternoon. However, we will continue to monitor the situation and will have a presence in the area.

“I would like to thank our local community for their patience while we took positive action to deal with this incident. We are very grateful for the support our officers have been given.”