Up to 30 revellers flouted coronavirus rules by throwing a big party in a bar that was live-streamed on social media.

Despite the strict national lockdown imposed since January 4, the group were caught drinking in a mass-gathering with loud music in North Finchley, police said.

They even posted live videos of the event on Instagram, according to the Metropolitan Police.

Police raided the unnamed venue in High Road at around 2am on January 9.

All 30 people who attended the rave were issued with a fixed penalty notice and the owner of the business could be handed a £10,000 fine, the Met Police said.

As a result of the ignoring of coronavirus rules, the bar’s alcohol license is also under review by Barnet Council and could be taken away.

The day before the party was discovered, London mayor Sadiq Khan declared a "major incident" due to the rapid spread of the virus that threatens to overwhelm hospitals in the capital.

North Finchley and Fallow Corner were among the areas with the highest infection rates on the eastern side of the borough of Barnet, with rates of around 900 cases per 100,000 in the seven days to January 6.

A government map shows 111 cases were recorded in North Finchley between New Year's Eve and the 6th, with 97 in Fallow Corner which is at the bottom of High Road, near the A406.

Temporary Chief Superintendent Louis Smith, of the Met's North West BCU Commander, slammed the rule-breakers for putting the public and health services at risk during the height of the pandemic.

He said: "The fact that this breach of COVID regulations happened within the same 24 hours as the Mayor of London declaring a major incident is as shocking as it is disappointing.

"Millions of people have stuck to the rules from the outset, but a minority of people who are breaching the regulations continue to set back our return to normality.

"Officers are still dealing with emergencies whilst also attending breaches of COVID regulations.

"I would appeal to the public to not be swayed to attend parties or gatherings that they may see happening on social media – if you breach these regulations, you risk prosecution, but more importantly, you risk putting your family and friends in danger and placing even more pressure on the NHS."