'It was chaos': Neighbours shocked and disappointed by illegal Northampton house party attended by dozens of young adults

Neighbours have expressed their shock and disappointment after dozens of young adults attended a house party broken up by police in Northampton at the weekend.

Residents on Forfar Street, St James, were woken up by the commotion of the party-goers being dispersed by more than 12 officers in the early hours of yesterday morning (Sunday, December 13).

Women and men were apparently dressed up ready for a night out while walking around with beer bottles in hand as police cars barricaded the road at both ends.

Natalie Faulkner, who lives down the road with her partner and two children, could not believe her eyes when she saw what she described as 150 people pour out of the house and onto the residential street.

"It was very quiet before but I saw these lads getting out of a taxi drinking but I didn't think anything of it so I went to bed," she said.

"I heard this commotion out the window and saw more lads like they were on a normal night out in Bridge Street with bottles in hand.

"Forfar Street is a really quiet street, we all know each other as well but before you know it, there was all this commotion.

"I went outside and there were police, they had barricaded the street so no one else could get in, taxis were being booked and leaving, it was chaos but then it went really quiet quite quickly."

Natalie, 43, who owns hair salon Beauty With Inn nearby, said she was glad the police arrived swiftly and the crowd did not get out of control.

But she criticised the youngsters for breaking the coronavirus restrictions so flagrantly when most people have gone months without seeing their loved ones.

"At the end of the day, if we're abiding by the rules and all these kids in this house they don't care so there needs to be some care to understand why.

"It's not about them, it's about the older generation we're trying to protect. But they are living without a care in the world."

Roger Williams, 78, and Carol Appleby, 75, live two doors away and described the scene as similar to when Northampton Saints play at home.

Carol said: "It was quite frightening, my neighbour lives alone so he must have been part terrified - it's just not acceptable behaviour so people need to be aware.

"I think it's very, very serious as once people see this can happen, they will do it again."

The pensioners said they overheard the residents tell police they had not meant for the party to get so big as they only invited 14 people over.

Carol said: "Their irresponsible behaviour will cause deaths and the NHS can't stretch anymore - if these are students then it's very worrying as it's not good behaviour."

An 18-year-old Northampton woman was arrested for a public order offence, breaching Covid-19 regulations and resisting a police officer while the 19-year-old organiser was fined £10,000.