Large quantities of illegal substances have been discovered buried at the grounds of the Creamfields festival in Daresbury, Cheshire, just days before the event is set to welcome more than 80,000 music fans starting Thursday.
Cheshire Police said a pre-event sweep of the site uncovered around 204 canisters of nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, along with sizable bags containing ecstasy, MDMA, and ketamine tablets.
Superintendent Andy Blizard said that each year officers deal with a number of individuals who believe they can hide drugs by stashing them out of sight or burying them on the grounds months in advance. He stressed that the force operates a strict zero-tolerance policy on drugs and indicated that further searches were likely to recover even more hidden items.
Blizard noted that anyone who had buried a rucksack or holdall at the site and wanted it back should contact police, adding that many of those who tried to conceal items would be disappointed to find them gone by the time they arrived at the festival to retrieve them.
During the festival itself, officers will work alongside Creamfields event security staff to maintain a visible presence and help prevent crime and disorder, the force added.