MORE than 14,000 revellers braved torrential rain to enjoy the Summer Solstice celebrations at Stonehenge.

The bad weather meant a lot less people made the trip, but this year only drew a crowd of about 14,500 compared to the record crowd in 2009 of 36,500.

And cloud cover meant Druids and Pagans were unable to witness the sunrise on the longest day, with many resorting to watches to mark the moment with loud cheers and applause.

King Arthur Pendragon and the Local Arthurian Warband held an all night vigil at the Hele Stone with bards and musicians and conducted the usual dawn ceremony.

King Arthur said: “For many it is a spiritual event as we welcome the dawning of the longest day and celebrate the turning of the seasons and with it the renewal and continuity of life.”

Superintendent Matt Pullen from Wiltshire Police, who was in charge of the police operation at the stones, said: “Solstice 2012 has been a positive experience for the majority of visitors. Our aim was to make sure that everybody had a safe and enjoyable evening which, along with our partners, we achieved.”

The police made 20 arrests for theft, drugs and alcohol related offences and 101 cautions were given for possession of cannabis.

Supt Pullen said: “As with every year, sadly there was a small minority who were determined to disregard the law. These people were dealt with robustly.”

The sun came up at 4.52am at a scene more suited to Glastonbury music festival than the first day of summer and many struggled to get their cars out of the site due to the mud created by the heavy rainfall.