AN ANCIENT woodland which is home to many rare species of wildlife has been vandalised by more than 2,000 ravers.

They invaded Denge Wood, near Waltham, on Saturday night with huge sound systems and trampled over rare plants.

The loud speakers were put up just feet from nesting woodpeckers which are now feared to have left their chicks.

When the ravers finally left the following afternoon, after blaring out thumping music all through the night, Forestry Commission workers discovered the full extend of the damage to the woodland they had been nurturing for wildlife and fauna.

They found discarded bottles, cans, old mattresses, syringes and methadone bottles. But there was also unpleasant evidence of human faeces and toilet paper.

On Monday, the Forestry Commission started a clean up operation but they fear the habitat has suffered severe damage.

Forester Steve McCarthy said: "We are absolutely mortified and disgusted with how this woodland has been vandalised. Many of these people profess to be 'tree-huggers' but it is nothing but hypocrisy.

"We have an on-going project with English Nature to develop this habitat and had spent the last 18 months and £25,000 creating a special wildlife corridor in the woods.

"In particular, we had been successful in attracting a rare species of butterfly, the Duke of Burgundy whose habitat and feeding is very specific.

"Unfortunately, it is not an isolated incident. Raves in woodland are on the increase and we have already suffered damage to nearby King’s Wood which is home to some rare species of reptiles.

"Our barriers have been ripped out of the ground and we just feel at a loss as to how we can stop them. I just don’t understand how they have so little respect for the countryside."

People living near the woods have also complained about the noise and the destruction of the woods where locals enjoys walking.

Neighbours Alison Dean and Claire Harland, who live in nearby Anvil Green, where both woken by the noise and appalled by the behaviour of the ravers.

Mrs Harland said: "These woods are precious and they have been decimated."

Mrs Dean added: "I have heard that the police didn’t have enough manpower. But I think it is a load of flannel. We used to get van loads turn out when there was a fox hunt."

Advertising flyers found at the scene called the event 'Alternative Perception' and boasted it would feature 11 DJs. Ravers were also charged entry.

Police arrived early in the evening but were powerless to stop the tide of ravers who had come as far away as London, some with babies, from invading the woods.

Insp Roscoe Walford said the huge volume of people made it impossible for them to safely close down the rave.

He added: "The key to dealing with raves is to prevent them happening by intervening before the crowds arrive. But to do this we need to find out where and when they are to take place well in advance.

"We have gathered a lot of information about the organisers and will be working to create a force-wide response to deal with the problem.

"Many of those attending would probably claim to care for the environment. The sad fact is someone is making a lot of money while causing considerable damage to the environment."