EIGHT people were taken to hospital suffering from knife wounds after a brawl at The Headley Park Hotel on Saturday night.

More than 100 people were gathered in the hotel grounds at Sleaford for a party to mark the summer solstice.

It is believed a small group of people - believed to be Lithuanians - attacked a larger group leaving eight people, including one woman, with stab wounds described by the police as ÒseriousÓ. The injured were rushed to Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey.

The incident happened just before midnight in the grounds of the hotel where between 100 and 200 people, mostly Lithuanians, had been camping since last Friday to attend the annual event.

Whitehill police officers were first to arrive at the scene. They said that the event was normally Òvery very peacefulÓ and passed without any trouble.

Police spokeswoman Liz Walsh said that the injured people were released from hospital the following day.

ÒAt the time, it was considered that most of them were very serious injuries, but in the light of the next day it was found that they were not as serious as first thought,Ó she said.

While the incident was happening outside the hotel, celebrations were afoot inside the hotel as a couple were holding their wedding reception. Management at the hotel were not prepared to comment on the incident but said that the hotel was not damaged in the brawl.

The hotel, in Picketts Hill, is home to the Lithuanian Country Club.

Detective Sergeant Doug Utting, of Basingstoke police and who is part of the investigation team, said that the investigation was very much ongoing.

ÒThis was an event organised by the Lithuanian Association of Great Britain,Ó he said.

ÒIt was a family event. The fight took place just before midnight and the majority of people were totally appalled by what happened. The end result is that somewhere in the region of eight to ten people were injured and were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.Ó

He added: ÒThis incident was totally out of character for the event.Ó

Thirteen Lithuanian men, who police said were mostly from the London area, were arrested as a result of the incident for a series of assaults and for violent disorder. Seven of those arrested were bailed at the beginning of this week until early July pending further enquiries.

As The Herald went to press, six remained in custody and were subject to investigation by the Immigration Service.