Lancashire house party organiser waking up to £10,000 Covid breach fine

Police found around 80 young people at the party in Hyndburn this morning. Credit: PA

A New Year's Eve party organiser has been fined £10,000 after police broke up the event at a house in Lancashire.

The party took place at a rural property in the Lancashire countryside in Hyndburn, outside Blackburn, with police finding about 80 youngsters at the new year celebration in the early hours of this morning.

Officers from Lancashire Police sent them home and reported the organiser, who was given an on-the-spot £10,000 fine for breaking Covid rules on gatherings.

Lancashire is currently in Tier 4 restrictions with Hyndburn having a high rate of infection.

Deputy Chief Constable Terry Woods, of Lancashire Police, described the party as a "shocker".

He tweeted: "Home after a very different NYE. Well done @LancsPolice & @NWAmbulance who dealt with a steady stream of incidents after midnight.

"Some shockers tonight e.g. Hyndburn rural property with about 80 young people there @LancsPolice stopped it & organiser reported for £10k fine."

Mr Woods reported increasing demand for police assistance during New Year's Eve in Lancashire, including officers called to assaults, house party fights, domestic abuse incidents, violent drink-drivers and to search for high-risk missing persons.

He added: "Welcome to 2021!!"

The New Year's Eve party followed another event on Christmas Day, also in Hyndburn, where 100 people gathered for a party held under a motorway bridge in Huncoat.

The event was filmed and shared on social media. Police traced the DJ and he was given a £200 fine.