Most people who went to Fatboy Slim's enormous beach party in Brighton at the weekend had a good time.

But so many were in a crush between the piers that the event was only one step from disaster.

It was obvious from early on Saturday afternoon that the gig was going to be far bigger than anything ever seen in Brighton.

Crowds were pouring into the city by car, bus, train and foot. Off-licences were being stripped of booze.

It was at that time the alarm bells should have sounded and action taken to deal with the crowds.

There was far too little control during the evening and it was only the fact that most people were good tempered that prevented trouble on a big scale.

While seafront bars sold drink in plastic cups, thousands of people took bottles on to the beach with predictable outcomes.

There were not nearly enough loos or waste bins with the result that the seafront became a fetid, stinking mess by Sunday.

Brighton and Hove does not need an inquiry with all the bureaucracy that involves into what went wrong.

But it is clear that lessons need to be learnt by the council, the police, the organisers and everyone else involved.

Young people love Brighton, which is one of the few towns in the UK with the reputation and the arenas to stage big outdoor events.

There will be a clamour among youngsters for another event. It should happen, although not this year, and it must be far better patrolled.

The huge crowd that descended at the weekend should have been unalloyed good news for a resort which like others has not so far enjoyed the best of summers.

Instead, it teetered near tragedy and the mess left behind will take days, if not weeks, to remove.

Norman Cook gave a great show and has generously contributed both to the event and clearing up afterwards.

Let's hope Brighton and Hove's own spinning superstar will do it again but with proper control next time.