FEARS a “massive” pool party at a 23-acre estate at Camelsdale on Saturday, July 30, could get out of hand, prompted protests on the night by more than 30 neighbours to Sussex Police and the district council.

There was no advance warning about the event, which attracted nearly 500 partygoers, who descended on Hill Farm by coach and car from the early afternoon onwards.

“The first thing we knew about it was when at least seven arrived full of people in the early afternoon,” one neighbour, who preferred to remain anonymous, told The Herald.

“One coach was from Birmingham and the partygoers had paid £35 for tickets. It was called a Big Splash Pool Party and loads of very flash cars turned up, like the ones at the Headley pool party where someone was killed.

“There were bouncers on the gate making sure people had tickets.

“It caused complete disruption in our quiet residential road. You could hear the music all over Haslemere.

“The music stopped at around 11pm but some of them stayed around until 2am doing unmentionable things.

“I emailed the owner and he was as worried as us.”

Residents took to social media to raise the alarm and urged anyone upset by the event to contact Chichester District Council, which had granted a temporary event licence for the party.

Posting on ‘Haslemere Rants’ Facebook page, one neighbour said: “Massive party/rave is being held in a house on Camelsdale Road.

“Coaches are blocking the road a bit, many bouncers are angering people.

“The noise is deafening, with a man screeching over the awful sounds. Spoke to bouncers, apparently party is going to going on all night. Have had no warning.”

Hill Farm owner Rob Holgate told The Herald he was as shocked as his neighbours. “I rented the house out for the day for what was labelled a corporate event for customers and subscribers.

“I found out on Friday it was a Big Splash Pool party and I notified Surrey and Sussex Police. When I spoke to the organisers, they said they had spoken to Surrey Police and told them it was not the same sort of party as the one at Headley.

“It was regrettable the music was so loud.

“I was made aware of it on the evening by a lot of neighbours. I spoke to CDC environmental health and their advice was to turn the music off at 11pm and it was turned off then.

“Whenever we have had a party I have written to every neighbour to let them know.

“On this occasion it was out of my control and I regret that very much. I know residents got the full blast and I’d like to apologise to everyone affected. The police were in attendance.

“It was unfortunate the music was so loud and awful. It sounded like a lot of shouting. I got about 30 emails and when I explained, those sending them seemed satisfied.

“A lot had young children and some were disturbed and scared and that’s very unfortunate. I have been here 15 years and we have only had two parties.”

A council spokesman said: “The event was the subject of a temporary event notice (TEN). We received a correctly completed TEN for a privately organised company garden party at the property.

“No objections were received to the notice and the event went ahead in accordance with the legislation.

“The TEN system is a ‘light touch’ process for events where licensable activities will take place for a limited period of time.

“A person wishing to hold such an event is required by law only to give notice to the council and police that the event is taking place. Chichester District Council publishes a list of all TENs on its website and the list is also emailed to local communities.

“We became aware of complaints about this particular event and an environmental health officer visited the property and liaised with officers from Sussex Police who were also present.

“Advice was sought from the police and a decision was made to allow the event to finish at the scheduled time of midnight, the event ended at 11.45pm.

“Clearly there was a great deal of local concern about this event which generated a significant number of complaints and these will be considered carefully.”

Lynchmere Parish Council said it had no prior notification that the event was happening.

“On behalf of all residents who have been adversely affected by the event we shall be questioning CDC about how the licence was granted and the checks which should have been done prior to it,” the parish council clerk said.