Farmer’s fury at 300 ravers

SOME of the damage caused by illegal ravers at remote Rimmon Cottage above Greenfield

Car set alight, police vehicles smashed
A Greenfield farmer has blasted illegal ravers who organised a mass trespass of up to 300 youths on his remote moorland acres, setting fire to a car and smashing police vehicles.

Sheep farmer Chris Crowther said the ravers descended on land at Upperwood House Farm early yesterday morning with their own generator, defying his pleas to leave.

They smashed windows in two police cars, and took over derelict Rimmon Cottage in Holme Clough.

Mossley firemen had to make their way there in darkness as a blazing Ford Focus car also set the tinder dry moorland ablaze.

It was more than four hours before police managed to get all the ravers to leave. Fire crews were called in again around 9am yesterday as the smouldering grass caught fire again. Mr Crowther said there was a trail of destruction. He added: “There is broken glass everywhere and they were smashed out of heads. There were hundreds of them. I drove down and told them to leave, but they were shaking the vehicle and calling me all the names under the sun, so I backed off and waited for the police.

“At first two women PCs came but I told them to get backup. I was frightened. It was horrendous.

“We could hear sirens going all night.”

Greater Manchester Police said two of their vehicles had windows smashed. They said it was a large organised event, which took until 4.30 am to clear.

Mr Crowther, whose flock are in the middle of lambing, said he was alerted by a phone call just after midnight.

He added: “You could hear the music and it was very very loud. The cottage was lit up and they had their own generator. Groups were being dropped off in taxis. I believe they were setting this up using mobile phones.

“They forced entry through the gate. They were putting people in danger — anything could have happened and the moors are tinder dry.”

He later alerted Oldham Mountain Rescue Team who carried out a search in case any of the revellers had wandered onto the remote moors.

Paul Etches, spokesman for Greater Manchester Fire Service said there were more than 200 people inside the building when crew arrived. They had to spend 90 minutes fighting the car fire and moorland blaze.

He added: “The fire was deliberate.

“Yesterday we also had to help colleagues in Derbyshire and Lancashire at large moorland fires and our own moorland is tinder dry, plus the winds were incredible. This is draining our resources.”

Police are appealing for anyone with information to call Oldham station on 0161-856 8972 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.