CORNUSSE (France), May 3 -- Up to 40,000 partygoers gathered yesterday for an illegal rave at a military site in France, defying warnings about the risk of possible explosions from old ordnance.

Thumping techno music echoed across a vast firing range near the central French town of Bourges as revellers-many dressed in brightly coloured outfits, others shirtless-assembled for the unauthorised event, known as a "free party", which began on Friday.

Behind them, tents and vans stretched across the grassy field.

Authorities had estimated attendance at 20,000 on Saturday morning, but more ravers arrived during the day and Tekno Anti Rep, a free party support network present at the site, told AFP the total was between 35,000 and 40,000 by the...