University students have been accused of throwing an illegal rave in a Newcastle sewer after police shut down a party of more than 200 revellers on Saturday night.
Northumbria Police have warned that people could have died after partygoers waded through “a few feet of water” to reach the underground event, where organisers had set up sound systems and lighting.
The “dangerous” event was shut down by police around 4am after they were contacted by a number of revellers concerned about safety.
The event was organised on Facebook with attendees meeting at a local pub before being led to the underground venue.
Police believe many of the party organisers are students at the city’s universities.
Chief inspector Dave Pickett said: “You can clearly see from the pictures that this is a dangerous site for members of the public, never mind an appropriate party venue.
”It is not an area that is easy to access so if anyone needed the assistance of the emergency services then they would have been in severe trouble.”
Pickett added: “We are very lucky that we are not talking about a more serious incident, particularly when you consider that many of those involved were under the influence of alcohol.”
The police are yet to arrest anyone in connection with the event.
The incident comes months after an illegal rave was held under the Tyne Bridge on New Years Eve.
Police dispersed hundreds of revellers after they were found partying inside the tower of the bridge.