An earl whose estate is being used for an illegal party has appealed to ravers to leave the ancient forest which he says is being damaged.

About 800 revellers have been gathered in Savernake Forest in Wiltshire since Saturday evening.

Accompanied by two police officers, Lord Cardigan is leafleting the ravers asking them to stop the party and avoid further damage to the 1000-year-old woodland, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

The leaflet says the privately-owned forest is "clearly being harmed by this invasion by wheeled vehicles and the number of people present".

It asks: "We hope you share our concerns and we therefore ask that you move from here today, thereby eliminating the risk to the forest that was so present last night and allow the forest to recover".

Wiltshire Police have stopped anyone joining the 800 already at the forest and were meeting to discuss how to break up the gathering.