Cheltenham Festival starts today, and officers will be on-site keeping you safe throughout the week.

Roads will be busier in the surrounding area so please plan ahead and allow plenty of time for your journey.

Will you be at the event? If so, don’t forget to come up and say hello – and if you see anything suspicious or something that doesn’t feel right, make sure you report it to us or a member of staff or security on-site #CheltenhamFestival #KeepingYouSafe

We understand that concerns have previously been raised about anti-social behaviour related to the Cheltenham Festival and are working alongside our partner agencies such as Cheltenham Borough Council and the Jockey Club to ensure that everyone has a safe but enjoyable time during the event.

In addition to resources working at and around the racecourse, we have an enhanced community policing presence across the town on every day of the event.

Police officers and PCSOs are conducting high visibility patrols, with a particular focus on identified ASB hotspots, around transport hubs, licenced premises and along walking routes.

There is also a particular focus on communities living within the vicinity of the Racecourse, who we know can be adversely affected by the anti-social behaviour of some.

Officers will provide an enhanced presence along the route between the Racecourse and the town centre while racegoers are leaving the site each day.

We have used information and intelligence from partners and the local community to identify several locations where officers will be situated with the hope of preventing anti-social behaviour as far as possible. Where unacceptable behaviour is identified, we will respond appropriately.

We will have our Community Engagement Vehicle in the town centre from 10am to midnight every day as well as a roving CCTV van to provide additional CCTV coverage.

The community policing operation will handover daily to an enhanced Night Time Economy operation, which will see additional officers deployed on foot to conduct high visibility patrols of the town, again focussing on identified hotspots.