Ticket tout warning over festival

Police said the vast majority of crimes are thefts from tents

Police are warning people not to buy tickets for this year's Reading Festival from tickets touts as they could be fake.

The 20th annual festival is expected to attract 80,000 people and is one of the borough's biggest occasions of the year, Thames Valley Police said.

They are also warning festival-goers not to take valuables as most crimes over the weekend are thefts from tents.

The event, from 22 to 25 August, sees The Killers and Metallica headlining.

Acts usually play in both Reading and Leeds but on different nights.

Police said it had taken one year to plan their operation for the weekend, including setting up a police command unit at the site in Richfield Avenue.

The Killers are one of this year's headline acts

The force's crime reduction adviser, John McNicholas, said: "Revellers are urged to only bring what they can carry and to leave valuables at home.

"If you do bring anything into the site that is valuable to you then please make sure you use the lockers.

"I would also urge people not to be tempted to buy tickets from touts. If you do there will be a good chance that you are throwing your money away as your ticket could be fake."

A police spokeswoman said partners involved in making the event safe included its organiser Festival Republic, Royal Berks Fire and Rescue Service, Midlands Fire and Rescue Service, South Central Ambulance Service and British Transport Police.

The Environment Agency, Festival Medical Services and Reading Borough Council were also involved, she said.