The Light and Life religious event in Oakham is to come to a close this evening (Thursday).
The event, which had been given the go ahead by the Rutland Agricultural Society has attracted more than 1,500 people which has resulted in hundreds of calls to Police.
A Leicestershire Police statement issued this afternoon said: " Officers continue to carry out proactive patrols in the Oakham area as the Light and Life event concludes.
Leicestershire Police have been working closely with Rutland County Council and other partners during the past week to provide advice and guidance to organisers, to respond to incidents reported and to assist with traffic management."
The event is due to come to a close this evening. Image Credit: Katy Anderson
The event is expected to finish today (Thursday) with the majority of attendees leaving the site tomorrow morning (Friday). Police will be assisting throughout today and tomorrow morning with traffic management. This includes staggering the exiting of vehicles from the site at Rutland Showground tomorrow morning to minimise the impact caused on the highways.
Members of the public are asked to acknowledge that while police will be making every effort to manage the traffic, the area is expected to be very busy particularly tomorrow morning (Friday). It is therefore asked that people in the community plan their journeys accordingly and use alternative routes if possible.
Police have said that officers will remain in the area today and tomorrow engaging with organisers and attendees at the event, local residents and local business owners.
Police have been patrolling the event all week and working with event organisers. Photo: Leicestershire Police.
Superintendent Jonny Starbuck said: “As the Light and Life festival comes to an end, we are working with partners to ensure we keep a proactive and visible presence in the area and to continue engaging with organisers of the event, attendees, local residents and local business owners.
“This includes assisting with traffic management tomorrow as attendees leave the event. While we will be doing everything we can to minimise the impact the traffic has on the highways, we do ask that people understand the area will be busy and therefore plan their journeys accordingly to assist us with this.
“I would like to thank everyone who has supported and co-operated with us over the past week as well as Rutland County Council and other partners for their ongoing work with us.
“As we have previously stressed, the Light and Life festival is a legal event and the majority of people visiting have been in the area to enjoy their faith. Unfortunately however, there have been some people engaging in crime and anti-social behaviour during the week which has understandably caused concern in the local community. We have been continuing to attend incidents which have been reported to us and investigating the matters which have been raised.
“Between 7am yesterday (Wednesday) and 7am today, four crimes were reported to police in the Oakham area. Three of these were in relation to public order incidents including reporting of abusive language being used and a person being spat at. One report was in relation to criminal damage caused to a tree.
“These incidents are not acceptable and enquiries have been and are being carried out into the reports. No arrests have been made at this stage in connection with these reports.”
Rutland County Council has confirmed that a recent planning application from the Rutland Showground has been withdrawn.
This application concerned proposals for a change of land use adjacent to the Showground site at Showground Way, Barleythorpe, Rutland. These proposals included using that land for the following purposes:
A campsite and caravan park
Outdoor events and shows, such as charitable, commercial, competitive and show events
The application had received more than 100 representations from local residents in recent days objecting to the proposals.
A statement from Rutland County Council said: "The application has now been marked as withdrawn in the Council’s records and comments on it can no longer be made on the Council’s website.
If the owners of the Showground should wish to pursue these proposals again in future, that would require submission of a new application for planning permission to the County Council."
People are being urged to report crime to Leicestershire Police on 101 or by using 999 in an emergency.
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