Police disperse hundreds of people from St Leonards car gathering

Police said the incident happened on Saturday evening (September 5).

Following calls from a number of local residents about noise and disruption caused by several hundred people at a gathering of performance cars at the Castleham industrial estate around 8.30pm, police officers attended, closing access roads and asking people to leave, which they did, leaving the location almost completely clear within an hour, police said.

As vehicles dispersed in smaller groups, other officers continued to advise people to leave the area.

To support this action, a dispersal order was issued at 10pm giving officers the authority to require individuals and vehicles involved in any such gathering to leave the whole of Hastings and St Leonards.

Inspector Aidan Cornwall said: “There was no resistance to police directions and no arrests were necessary.

“However, this action was necessary to ensure public health and safety, both at the location and in the immediate area, for local people and for those involved in the event. Enquiries are being made to identify anyone involved in organising the gathering with a view to considering enforcement action against them, potentially including fines for organising an unlawful gathering.”

Anyone with information about the event is asked to report online or call 101 quoting serial 1408 of 05/09.