Police called to illegal rave to find pensioners queuing for vaccine

Someone mistakenly confused a vaccination centre for an illegal rave and alerted the police. An easy mistake

It's been a hell of a 12 months, hasn't it? No need for a full recap, but let's just say that, after all that's gone on, each and every one of us are feeling the strain. Perhaps then, this explains the story we're about to share, which is - and we can't stress this enough - absolutely fucking ridiculous. It comes to us via the good county of Essex where, when alerted to an illegal rave, three police cars rushed to the Freemasons' Saxon Hall in Southend-on-Sea, eager to disperse revellers. What they found was not actually an illegal rave, however. Instead, police officers found a queue of pensioners, aged in their 80s and 90s, all queuing patiently to receive their vaccine shots. A world away from an illegal rave. I mean, if public services weren't as stretched as they were right now, you'd probably say it was funny. Fortunately, the police were able to provide assistance with traffic in the area, and so it wasn't a complete waste of their time. Apparently, the tip-off came not as the result of a hoax call, but from concerned neighbours. After a spate of illegal raves in the Essex area of late, some residents had seen an increase in traffic and assumed the worst. One such rave recently took place in All Saints Church in East Horndon - a 500-year-old Grade II listed building - with revellers trashing the place in in an unlicensed New Year's Eve do. A bar had even been set up at the event with organisers bringing along DJ decks and portaloos for those attending. But yeah, there was no such drama on this occasion in Southend-on-Sea. Just a bunch of pensioners waiting for their jabs. Stop this country, I want to get off.