Creamfields: Police urge crowd to avoid 'life-changing consequences'

Attendees at the UK's biggest dance music festival have been urged by police to drop drugs or weapons in amnesty bins before going on site to avoid "life-changing consequences".

Creamfields North will welcome about 70,000 people to its site in Daresbury, Cheshire, from Thursday to Sunday.

Cheshire Police said bins would be put at entrances to allow festival goers to surrender items before going in.

Supt Sarah Heath said "any form of criminality will not be tolerated".

The festival, which has sold out, will see big name acts such as Calvin Harris, Tiesto and David Guetta take to its stages to celebrate its 25th anniversary edition.

Fatboy Slim, Bicep, Idris Elba, Carl Cox, Armin van Buuren and Eric Prydz also feature in the four-day line-up.

Ms Heath said "months of planning" had gone into making sure the Cheshire force were "as prepared as possible ahead of Creamfields taking place".

She said there would be a "range of security measures in place", which would include searches before entry and the use of drug dogs.

"Amnesty bins are also in place... for prohibited items and anyone who does not use these bins, but is found to be in possession of drugs or weapons will be dealt with," she said.

"I would urge you to please think before you act as the decisions that you could make may have life-changing consequences."

She added that the force would "do everything in our power to ensure that the actions of a small minority do not impact on those who are out having a good time".

A force spokesman said a "clearly signposted welfare tent" would also be staffed on the festival site where people can go "to report any concerns to officers at any point over the duration of the event".