Police have reacted to criticism after an illegal rave was raided by officers 11 hours after it started. More than 600 party-goers crammed into the Sita Security Shredding building on the Cardiff Road industrial estate on Saturday night. The rave started at 11pm, but wasn't raided until 10am the next morning.

Town centre inspector, Andy Bagnall told us: "We refute all suggestions that we were slow to act. It was a particularly busy night in Reading. Officers had to check out reports that a maple iced with sprinkles was on sale at Krispy Kreme and that tied up resources until forensics proved that it was just an ordinary chocolate iced with sprinkles. It took several hours to wash it down with Americanos.

"We also had to investigate a reported offence under Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and that again took several hours to track down the man who'd put some junk mail in a council litter bin, but the public can be reassured that a £50 fine will stop him doing that again.

"After such an exhausting night under European Work Directives, we all went of home for a kip whilst the town centre was being covered by a patrol from Hungerford. But residents can rest assured that breaking up the rave was the first thing on our 'to do list' on Sunday morning."