POLICE and council officers shut down an illegal rave on the beach.

Officers were called to Shoebury Common after reports of about 600 revellers smoking cannabis, drinking alcohol, cooking on a barbecue, and playing loud music.

The council had sanctioned an application for a party at nearby Shoebury East Beach.

However, it was only for 30 people and conditions were no DJ, no booze, and it could only run from 1pm until 6pm on Saturday.

But instead, tickets were being sold for £30 and T-shirts had even been made up saying “Southend Beach Barbecue” with a phone number and web address.

Derek Jarvis, Southend councillor responsible for culture and tourism, who was called about the noise, went there to check licence papers.

Shortly after, the party was over, with the help of council officers and police.

Mr Jarvis said: “We let them know in no uncertain terms we didn’t believe this had been authorised.

“But once it had happened, we needed to unpick it as quickly as we could. Once they realised we were serious, they dispersed.”

The crowds finally went at about 9pm, but left so much rubbish and broken bottles behind, the beach had to be cordoned off.

The council’s Street Scene team couldn’t clean up until 6am the next day because of the danger of sharp objects in the dark.

Mr Jarvis added: “I’m sure we need to ask ourselves some questions about how we would react to the same thing happening again, because it’s possible someone applied for a birthday party temporary event notice and turned that into an organised event. Maybe they’ve done that at other locations.”

John Clarke, 55, who lives in Leigh, was dismayed because the door of his beach hut was kicked in.

He said: “I came down on Sunday to find my door damaged and whisky bottles everywhere. If the council gave a permit for this, someone should be sacked.”

An Essex police spokeswoman said: “We did go along and shut the entire party down. Everyone left the area without any trouble, so it ended peacefully.”