POLICE were on site for more than four hours before shutting down the illegal rave at which teenager Daniel Spargo-Mabbs collapsed and subsequently died after taking ecstasy.
Met officers were called to the event in Hayes, west London, at around 4am on Saturday, January 18, by paramedics attending to the Archbishop Tenison's student.
The Met said after the incident that the rave was "shut down," but revellers told the Advertiser it carried on long after Daniel was put onto a stretcher.
A Met spokesman said officers closed down the event at 8.30am, adding that officers who arrived first were focused on Daniel, who was taken to hospital where he died in the afternoon of Monday, January 20.
He added that a police investigation was under way into "the illegal event itself and the organisers."
The Advertiser understands the event was the Vibes Family Indoor Festival, advertised with a secret location that would be revealed on a phoneline or by e-mail at short notice.
Organisers appeared to make no mention of Daniel on their Facebook page, where a message dated January 18 reads: "Big up Everyone that came down. Was pure love! Shout to all the djs for showcasing an amazing array of music, to the decorators, artists, rig crews, staff and most of all YOU the VIBES massive for making this event so special."
Georgia Scott was among the ravers who recalled the event keeping going with no police interruption despite Daniel being taken away after a suspected drugs overdose.
She said: "There were probably around 1,500 people there, maybe more and the event did carry on, although there were police officers around just in case anything happened.
"I left around 8.30am so it must have shut at some point after that."
Another raver, who asked not to be named, said: "I didn't know anyone was taken to the hospital until the day he passed away.
"I left there at 7am and it was still going, no police about. The death of that young lad has put me off them sort of parties.
"I didn't see any police at all that night."
A spokesman for Hillingdon Council said the rave was on private land and no permission had been sought for the event from the council.
She added: "It would not be appropriate for us to give any further statement or interview as we are not involved in the ongoing police investigation."
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