A FLAT used as a “mini nightclub” belted out music for nine months before council officers stepped in and seized thousands of pounds of DJ equipment.

Southend Council staff, accompanied by police, raided the basement flat in Grand Parade, Leigh, in response to complaints.

We can now show the haul of music equipment which was seized, including a synthesiser, mixers, speakers, CD player and computer, programmed with playlists.

The music and other lighting equipment was found in the unoccupied “party” property in and around a makeshift dance floor in the living room and another in the back garden shed.

It has also emerged the property blared out music for nine months before council officers stepped in.

The council received 20 complaints about noise from neighbouring residents before getting a warrent to gain entry.

Council regulatory officer Neil Vann said: "There have been about 20 complaints to the council since December. The have ranged from loud music and noise levels over consecutive nights to claims of drinking and shouting coming from the property."

Residents living nearby said parties had sometimes gone on until 4am at weekends.

A middle-aged man who would not be named said: “We moved here earlier in the year and there have been some parties going on until three or four in the morning, but we never complained because we just put it down to people enjoying the summer.”

However, people living in a flats block and converted houses just a few doors away said they had heard nothing and the first they knew of the parties was our report in the Echo.

The Echo knocked at the flat where the equipment was taken from last week, but there was no answer.