Womad : Crime down at music festival

Crime went down significantly at this year's WOMAD festival in Wiltshire, it was announced today. And according to district council officers who attended the event, one woman visiting the festival gave birth while watching a performance. It is not known whether she was from the local area or whether she had planned the unusual birth venue.

Visitors to the festival at Charlton Park, Malmesbury reported 90 crimes to police officers, far fewer than at previous festivals. Nearly three times that number were reported in recent years. One person was arrested for a drugs offence. Traffic police were very happy with the flow of traffic, given the wet weather and volume of vehicles. There were some minor collisions on surrounding roads in Malmesbury that were not related to WOMAD but caused delays nevertheless.

Despite the severe test of wet weather and muddy ground conditions during the event, more than 35,000 people attended the World of Music, Arts and Dance festival organised by Box man Peter Gabriel.

Chief Inspector Rick Wright, from Wiltshire Police said: "I would like to thank everyone involved including North Wiltshire District Council, Wiltshire County Council, Great Western Ambulance Service and the event directors and their contractors for their cooperation in managing this event in such extremely wet conditions."

By Benjamin Parkes