THE tenth anniversary of the "invasion" of Castlemorton Common passed without local incident last weekend.

West Mercia Police were on the alert, amid worries that an attempt to restage the massive party could be made.

A website for the Feeling of Life free party organisation had been giving advance notice of a tenth anniversary three-day rave to take place at the weekend, but without disclosing its planned location.

On Friday night, voicebank messages told revellers to head towards the Bristol area.

On Saturday morning, they were told to meet up at the Michaelwood service station on the M5, just north of Bristol, and later that day, were told to head to Steart Beach near Bridgewater.

Avon and Somerset police confirmed that more than 1,000 people descended on Steart Beach and held an illegal rave. Another party near Chipping Sodbury was frustrated by police action.

Police spokesman Vicki Davies said West Mercia had been co-operating with neighbouring forces and officers had been deployed in Castlemorton and along the motorway.

She said: "We had no information to suggest they were intending to return to Castlemorton, but we were ready in any case."

In May, 1992, thousands of travellers and ravers descended on the common for a massive illegal party which lasted several days and caused severe disruption to local residents.