Dozens arrested at horse fair

Extra officers were drafted in to Appleby for the fair

Sixty-five people were arrested at the annual Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria.

Up to 10,000 Gypsies and travellers and 1,828 caravans, including 121 horse drawn bow tops, attended the five-day event along with thousands of others.

Those arrested were held on suspicion of public order offences, possession of drugs, drink-driving and furious riding.

The number of arrests was proportionate to the size of the event, police said. An extra 100 officers were at the fair.

In 2007 there were 1,291 caravans, and police made 58 arrests.

'Firm but fair'

Ch Supt Andy Davidson said: "We have a long tradition of policing the fair, taking into account the needs of Gypsies and travellers and balancing them with the needs of the local community.

"The number of arrests are in line with last year and are proportionate to the numbers of people in and around Appleby throughout the fair."

Traveller representative Billy Welsh said: "I would like to thank the police on behalf of all my people for the excellent way they have policed the fair this year.

"As always, they have shown a good understanding of our way of life and treated the event with a firm but fair approach."

A clean-up operation has now begun, and Eden District Council said it hoped its street cleansing contractor would have completed the job by Friday.

Last year 20 tonnes of rubbish were removed from road side verges and the town centre.