AN ILLEGAL all-night rave was stopped by a county-wide police operation on Saturday. They headed off 1,000 youths - mainly teenagers - first from a field in Hadlow, near Tonbridge, and then from the last-minute switched venue of an old hospital site in Dartford.

The rave would have lasted from 10pm on Saturday to 10am on Sunday and would have attracted youths from Kent, Essex and London.

Police used flyers and a website to second-guess the rave organisers and set up road-blocks at both venues, so ravers were not able to get on either site. During the operation £3,000 worth of cannabis and ecstasy tablets were seized, as well as a canister of CS gas and a baton.

A 16-year-old from Swanley was charged with possession of ecstasy with intent to supply, David Kay Richard Snape, 18, of Greenhithe, near Dartford, was charged with possession of cannabis with intent to supply and Jack Alexander Craig Tandy, 20, of West Kingsdown, was charged with possession of a CS gas cylinder. They were all bailed to appear before Dartford magistrates in August.

Kent Police stressed that their concerns were for residents who would be disturbed by the loud all-night music as well as the youths who put themselves at risk by attending the raves.