RESIDENTS living in Kirtlington called police after more than 200 revellers gathered for an open-air rave in a quarry.

Estimates of about 200 people attended an all-night open-air session in the former Portland Cement Quarry at the bottom of Mill Lane, Kirtlington.

The noise and lights from the event prompted residents to complain to police about an illegal rave.

But when Thames Valley Police attended they decided it was not a rave but a private party. They advised partygoers to turn down the noise and left.

There were other complaints throughout the night but a spokesman for Thames Valley Police said: "We did not attend again as this was a private party.

"Any complaints about noise should have gone to the district council's environmental health department."

The fine distinction was not welcomed by among regulars in The Oxford Arms pub yesterday lunchtime.

Regular Tim Stead said: "There were about 100 cars down the lane and the thump, thump, thump went on all night long.

"I heard it at 11.30 last night and when I woke up this morning. We all thought it was a rave."

No-one at the pub knew who might have thrown the party.

William Long said: "We have had these things before and we all get fed up with the mess that is left.

"It went on all night until the rain on Sunday morning dampened things down."

Others in the pub said they had not heard anything, adding that the wind was in the wrong direction to carry the noise.

Earlier this month, ravers had to be treated by paramedics after an assault at an illegal gathering on the edge of Oxford.

The two men, who were too intoxicated to tell police what had happened, were at a seven-hour party on land near the Marston flyover of the A40 ring-road.

Thames Valley Police and environmental health officers from Oxford City Council were present at the locked and gated entrance to the land A spokesman for the police said they had received calls from members of the public about the noise from the rave attended by more than 300 people.

Earlier this month, Oxfordshire County Council became one of the first areas in the country to use powers contained in the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005.

The gating orders could help local authorities steal a march on those planning illegal raves, joyriding, drug dealing or youths who congregate in packs.

Illegal raves first started in the late 1980s when acid house music became popular.

In 1990, the Government attempted to reduce Ecstasy use by introducing new legislation to shut down raves.

The Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 made a number of amendments to existing public order legislation, which extended the powers of the police to deal with illegal raves.

The minimum number of people attending an illegal rave has been reduced from 100 to 20.