HUNDREDS of residents had their lives made a misery this weekend by youths holding an illegal rave at a disused warehouse in St Anne's.

As many as 800 partygoers gathered at the former Brenmark Engineering works in Whitby Road on Saturday night and loud music was continuing to blare out throughout Sunday morning.

Scores of cars and vans were parked at disused offices opposite at Weir House and the noise could be heard from as far away as Totterdown and Knowle.

Shop assistant Kay Duck, 62, who has lived in Arlington Road for 40 years, said she had complained to both the police and the city council and there had been residents' meetings about the raves in the past.

"The police told me that it would cause a riot if they tried to stop it and they can't do anything about it," she said. "I heard it at about 2.30am last night. The noise just got louder and louder. It was horrendous. I can't really describe it, it was akin to torture.

"I just feel there has got to be something somebody can do. I'm not a party pooper but we shouldn't have to put up with this."

Bristol City Council and police confirmed they had received a number of calls from residents complaining about noise between 10.30pm on Saturday and 3pm yesterday.

It is the latest in a number of similar events that have taken place in the area over the past few years.

Some parties have been held in Sparke Evans Park and Netham Park. More recently, they have taken place in various disused factories in the St Philip's area.

Brislington East Labour councillor Simon Crew said he had received a number of complaints yesterday from people living nearby and had been down himself.

"There were people in various states of inebriation and a lot of noise still going on," he said.

"It is very annoying that this has happened again. It is disrupting people's lives. It is reaching the stage where we have to say: 'This is illegal and it must be stopped'."

He said the most recent rave that he knew of was on New Year's Eve but residents feared this would be the start of a state of summer disturbances.

Brislington East Conservative Councillor Barbara Lewis said the illegal raves were becoming a regular occurrence in the area: "It is no good for residents with the thump, thump, thump of the music. The sound really carries down there."

She said the council and police would have to look at further measures to deter ravers from breaking into disused buildings, such as mosquito alarms or paint sprinklers.

"What the police need is early intelligence. If people tell them where a rave is being planned, they can secure the building.

"Once a rave has started and there are hundreds if young people in there, it is difficult to stop it."

One of the organisers of the rave, who did not want to be named, said: "Normally we go out of Bristol and hold it in a field which is obviously better, but because the weather wasn't very nice we held it here. It was open and we just drove in there – we didn't force our way in. About 700-800 people came. We didn't charge for entry, we asked for donations towards fuel costs."

Most residents of Arlington Road who live closest to the industrial estate were kept awake and people in neighbouring streets were also affected.

Wendy Elliott, who lives in Arlington Road, said: "I was woken by the noise at about 1am. It was the 'boom boom' of a heavy base – it drives you mad. I have complained in the past but nothing ever happens. I don't think the police have enough officers to deal with it. It happens on Bank Holiday weekend. It has been going on for years.

"I have spoken to environmental health officers about it many times. Everyone knows it's illegal but nobody can do anything about it."

Student Chris Thomas, also an Arlington Road resident, said: "I was disturbed. It's not the first time they have held raves there. There was one last year as well with loads of drunk kids. You would have thought it would be simple to sort it."

Martin Duckett, 56, a production worker who lives in Highworth Road, said: "I was annoyed. It woke us up and we could hear this booming in the background. They seem to have these raves three or four times a year, especially in the summer."

Plumber Nigel Gunton, 48, of Langton Court Road: "The noise woke me up. At first I thought it was my mobile phone vibrating, it was that kind of sound."

Not everyone was annoyed.

Music producer and DJ Martin Peacock, 27, who was staying with a friend in Arlington Road, said: "If I had known it was going on I probably would have gone to it."

Two police officers sitting in a 4x4 opposite the trading estate yesterday afternoon said they had been asked to monitor the situation.

Lib Dem cabinet councillor Gary Hopkins said environmental health officers and the police worked together when contacted about such events. Whether they would step in to stop them depended on the level of nuisance and the level of risk.

Chief Inspector Steve Kendall, of Avon and Somerset police, said: "When it started we realised there was a problem and police officers were sent to assess the situation.

"It was kept under surveillance and yesterday we ascertained who was in charge. I spoke to the organisers and was able to get them to turn down the sound and then vacate the premises. We are trying to trace the owners to secure the premises."