A rave in Hornsey was allowed to continue for ten hours uninterrupted last weekend, to the annoyance of residents.

Around 300 hundred people took over a warehouse in Cranford Way Industrial Estate, Cranford Way, at midnight on Saturday, and partied until 10am on Sunday.

Bruno Dore, who lives in nearby Rathcoole Gardens, described the noise that kept him awake all night as very loud, pulsating banging'.

"We could hear it from where we are, though we are not that close, and our neighbours were hopping mad about it," he said.

Lorna Jongou, supervisor of Access Storage, a business based on the site where the rave took place, said: "I came in on Sunday morning and there were loads of gothic-looking people around, with scruffy clothes. The whole building was vibrating, the music was so loud.

She claimed the youngsters had broken the lock into an empty warehouse and spray-painted the inside.

Police were called at 5am on Sunday, and patrolled the site, but did not stop the rave. A spokeswoman said the manpower required to do so would not have been the best use of resources.

Haringey Council was called several times earlier in the night, but officials failed to turn up until 10am, when the rave was all but over.

Councillor Nilgun Canver, executive member for crime and community safety, apologised for the council's late appearance, admitting: "Our systems let us down.

"We will look at how we can prevent this happening again. We have already pledged more funds for the noise team and have plans to upgrade the service."

The council's noise control service had already been under scrutiny after a report highlighted the service as needing improvements with immediate effect'.

Sources have highlighted staff shortages as a key problem.