Cavers who saw in the new year at a former underground quarry near Bath have criticised police for labelling them "illegal ravers."

Wiltshire Police had issued a warning about trespassing on land after they heard about a planned underground gathering at the Brown's Folly mine complex at Monkton Farleigh.

But people who attended the event said the New Year's Eve incident had been exaggerated by the police and that they were not causing any harm to anyone.

One of the organisers, who did not wish to be named, said they had come up with the idea around two weeks before and had been careful not to cause any trouble.

He said: "People sat around on stone seats, built from large square stones laying around, with some background music with a couple of beers, "bring a bottle" kind of nature, and chatted about the year's adventures.

"Some left before midnight, some slept underground and went the next morning. All the rubbish was removed."

He added that for decades people had been visiting these types of sites without any trouble.

Another caver, who also did not want to be named, said it was sad that the police had been so quick to assume the group were troublemakers.

Late last week police warned the public that anyone entering the site would be treated as trespassers and would be committing offences under the Licensing Act 2003.

They also said the former mine was a habitat for a bat colony and that anyone who disturbed such creatures could also be committing offences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Last Friday Inspector Dave Cullop had said: "As this case highlights, illegal raves are potentially very dangerous and compromise public safety. They are also very disruptive to the local community.

"While we continue to work with the organisers of licensed musical events, I want to make it clear that we will not tolerate illegal raves and resources are available this weekend to prevent, disrupt and close down any such events in the county.

"We will also continue to take a hard line against the people organising these raves."

The Chronicle attempted to contact Insp Cullop to discuss the subject further but he was not available for comment this week.

Landowner Restore, a company which stores businesses' documents and paperwork in the caves, declined to comment.