A derelict former post office was left with “tens of thousands of pounds of damage” after an all-night rave involving up to 1,000 people.

The owner of a century-old former postal delivery office, Gerry McDowell, spoke of his disgust as "pure animals" stole lead from the roof, vandalised the building by smashing up the toilets and stealing the copper pipe work from within. 

An all-night rave was held on Saturday night (July 4) into Sunday morning.

The building, in Johnston Road, Woodford Green, closed in September last year and has been sitting empty ever since.

In January this year, squatters moved in but were evicted a few days later.

Mr McDowell plans to convert the building into nine flats with a commercial business at ground level.

But his application, which included retaining the facade, was rejected by Redbridge council in December on the grounds that a proposed flat was too small, the scale of the development was intrusive and not in-keeping with the conservation area. 

Mr McDowell, 64, was livid after the party animals broke into the building on Saturday night.

He said: “There is tens of thousands of pounds of damage.

“It is incredible the amount of damage they did and they left so much mess.

“There was excrement on the floors, they smashed windows,

“They are pure animals.”

Residents in The Terrace, the street which backs onto the derelict building, spoke of being disturbed by the all-night party.

Mother-of-three Yvonne Shepherd, 42, said she was woken up in the night at 3am.

She said: “I am a heavy sleeper but we could hear music and a loud bass and it woke me up.

“It is disgusting that so many people have damaged the building, I hope it is converted soon.

“You don’t expect this in such a quiet, residential area.”

A 72-year-old woman, who did not wish to be named, was walking her dog at 8am on Sunday morning when she found rubbish covering the road and field outside the building.

“There was a lot of noise that night, a lot of shouting and music,” she said.

“I couldn’t believe it when I walked down the road in the morning.

“The road and field was covered with bottles, tins and cans, I looked inside the building as the door was open and it was a state.

“I called the police straight away.”

A spokeswoman for Redbridge police said it had made no arrests over the incident.

She said: "We have been made aware of loud music coming from a disused premises in Johnston Road, Woodford Green.

"Officers have been in attendance at the location on July 4 at 10.48pm.

"On July 7 the premises were locked and secured to prevent any further illegal entry."

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

Around a thousand people attended a rave at the derelict post office.