French police clash with partygoers at unauthorised rave party

Fivepoliceofficers were injured, two seriously, and apartygoer lost his hand when security forces tried to break up an illegalraveof some 1,500 people in western France, local officials said on Saturday.

TV images showed gendarmes using tear gas andravers throwing firecrackers, projectiles and petrol bombs asclashes broke out when around 400policeofficers moved in an effort to disperse theparty.

According to Emmanuel Berthier,policechief for the Ile-et-Vilaine area, a 22-year-old person lost a hand amid the "extreme violence".Clashes lasted for about seven hours, the national gendarmerie said on its Twitter account.

As of Saturday morning, about 1,000 people remain at a horse racing track near Redon in Brittany where theravewas held and officials said they hoped to regain control over the weekend.

"Those present were not there toparty, but to fight with thepolice," Pascal Duchène, the mayor of Redon, told BFM TV.