A Facebook party expected to attract up to 10,000 young people to a Torbay beach this weekend has been cancelled by the organiser.

Defiant partygoers had spent the day promising to flout the police ban on the rave but a message has now been posted on the social networking site announcing that the event will no longer take place.

Devon and Cornwall police had claimed that the party would be stopped and an alcohol ban implemented but members of Facebook insisted they would ignore the authorities and hold the event regardless.

More than 4,500 people on Facebook confirmed that they would go to the beach party with another 7,000 members of the group “maybe attending” the event at a secret location in Torbay.

This afternoon, however, a message was posted cancelling the open party. “No event whatsoever will be taking place in Torbay. People attending beaches in Torbay on the weekend will be asked to leave or arrested,” it read.

Superintendent Chris Singer, Torbay police commander, had warned earlier in the day that “there is no point in coming down to Torbay if you are looking to attend an alcohol-fuelled event.”

Mr Singer was though forced to admit that the police had no idea exactly where the event was due to take place. He threatened to confiscate alcohol and sound systems from revellers and arrest anyone breaking the law.

He said he could apply to magistrates to use powers under the Licensing Act 2003 to halt the sale of alcohol in a specific area for a time where it was linked to disorder - but had not yet done so.

The legislation, which would apply to on and off-licences, was a “a tactical option, a tool in our armoury,” he explained. If an alcohol ban was applied for, it would only be for an area which was “being directly affected by or contributing to the incident of disorder itself”, he added.

Warnings from the police appeared to have left the potential party guests’ enthusiasm undimmed.

Jamie, from Plymouth, posted on Facebook this afternoon: “Check this out it is in nearly all the newspapers and on the radio that the police will be stopping it happening, like to see them try and hold back 10,000 young people lol.”

Tom, from Bristol, posted another bold challenge: “Let the rozzers do their worst ha ha ha ha. THEY CAN TAKE OUR DRUGGZ!! BUT THEY WILL NEVA TAKE.... OUR FFFRRRRRREEEEEEDDDDOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!!!”

Fears that the party would get out of hand followed a series of events around the world where open invitations were posted on social networking sites and the party planners were overwhelmed by the response.

Strangers caused £20,000 worth of damage to Rachel Bell’s Sunderland home after she posted an invitation on MySpace while her family was on a caravan holiday.

In Australia, Corey Delaney found infamy for hosting an open party while his parents were away, which ended in a violent stand-off between a horde of teenagers and the police.