Cumbria Police working to ensure festival goers enjoy Kendal Calling safely
Sniffer dogs are already on site.
Kendal Calling festival takes place this weekend at Lowther Deer Park and Cumbria Police are once again working with event organisers to ensure everyone attending the festival has a safe and enjoyable weekend.
Following months of partnership working, officers are now on site with drug detection dogs carrying out sweeps of the grounds and surrounding areas.
Inspector Sarah Hodkinson, Public Order and Public Safety Bronze Commander for Kendal Calling said: "As with previous years a great deal of effort has gone into planning this event along with the event organisers, security teams, local council, highways and other partners.
"Our officers, special constables and police dogs work tirelessly in the lead up and throughout the festival to ensure the safety of everyone attending the event, protect the public and reduce the number of illegal substances brought onto site. They also deal with incidents such as high-risk missing people, violence and keeping the peace.
"While our main aim is to ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable weekend, we have plans in place to deal with any incidents which may arise.
"We will have non-unfirmed and uniformed officers along with our dogs section assisting security staff and deploying thermal imaging drones throughout the car parks.
"Remember – do not take valuable, irreplaceable items on site with you and make sure items such as your mobile phone is kept with you at all times.
"I hope everyone has a safe, fun and enjoyable festival."
Aidan Bew is one of the dog handlers that are currently on site.
He explained more what the dogs will be doing on site: "They are multi-skilled dogs but we'll really be looking for drugs coming into the site. They are here for that purpose.
"We'll search the vehicles, make sure nobody is carrying anything into the site that they can consume themselves or sell onto others.
"The line of people coming into the festival will pass by the drugs dogs. The dogs sample the air around people as they pass by, they are specially trained to do this as they pass by people.
"They'll detect the main sources of drugs that people associate with recreational use.
"They work around people, they are really friendly and there's no malice in the dogs whatsoever.
"They usually just move around people, there usually isn't any contact, but the handlers are really experience at this."