Image copyright ASP

A 20-year-old man has died, a woman has been raped and three people have been stabbed during two illegal "quarantine raves" that attracted 6,000 people.

Thousands flocked to Daisy Nook Country Park and Carrington in Greater Manchester late on Saturday.

The man at the country park died of a suspected drug overdose and the stabbings and the attack on an 18-year-old woman took place in Carrington.

Police said the illegal raves have had "tragic consequences".

Assistant Chief Constable Chris Sykes condemned them as a clear breach of coronavirus legislation, adding officers "were met with violence, resulting in items being thrown and a police car being vandalised".

He asked "anyone with footage that could assist our enquiries" to give it to police.

Police said about 4,000 people were at the Droylsden rave, where there were no reported crimes.

There were however three separate stabbings at the Carrington site - one of which left an 18-year-old man with life-threatening injuries.

Ass Ch Con Sykes said officers "managed to safely enter the crowds, locate the man and administer life-saving first aid before paramedics arrived."

Two other men, aged 25 and 26, were hurt in separate stabbings and a 25-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon.

"We are also investigating the rape of an 18-year-old woman... and we have specialist officers supporting her and her family," police said.

Streams of young people were seen on their way to an area just off Common Lane in Carrington late on Saturday evening.

There was a large Greater Manchester Police presence at both sites.

Images and footage were also being shared on social media show densely-packed crowds of people dancing and singing at the outdoor raves.

A large sign reading "Quarantine Rave" can be seen in background of one video.

Sacha Lord, who is night-time economy adviser for the region, said the "morons" and "selfish idiots" that attended "are a disgrace" who have put the people they love "at risk".

Mr Lord tweeted: "I've seen some of the footage. You aren't clubbers. Just selfish idiots."

The MP for Ashton-Under-Lyne, Angela Rayner, said she had joined Oldham Street Angels at the Daisy Nook site during the rave.

The group offers support and pastoral care to partygoers and others that need it during the night-time.

Ms Rayner tweeted that she had "just finished my shift at Street Angels in Oldham" and had been "dealing with the illegal rave at Daisy Nook liaising with the police".

Volunteers have spent Sunday morning clearing away rubbish left scattered across the fields at the Daisy Nook site with help from Oldham Council.

Empty bottles, plastic bags, gas canisters and abandoned gazebos cluttered the beauty spot.

Oldham Council leader Sean Fielding tweeted thanks to the "dozens of volunteers there this morning helping to clean up the mess".

In a statement, Ass Ch Con Sykes said: "These raves were illegal and I condemn them taking place - they were clearly a breach of coronavirus legislation and guidelines, and have had tragic consequences."

He said the force had seen huge demand including a 60% surge in emergency calls from 17:00 BST on Saturday to 04:00 on Sunday and hoped "the public can recognise the challenges we are facing."

'Blacklist suppliers'

He said the "gatherings were carefully monitored" but "we needed to balance the present public health emergency and our overall demand with ongoing incidents".

"We have to ensure that we strike the right balance of proportionality and fairness with our overall coronavirus response", he added.

The region's deputy mayor for policing and crime, Bev Hughes, said the events industry has agreed "to blacklist any supplier who is involved with illegal raves".

She said "those reckless individuals" have "put a needless demand on vital police time," and "themselves and their communities in real danger."

But she praised communities helping clean up, saying: "We have seen the real Greater Manchester this morning".