Policing Pilton during the Glastonbury Festival.

With around 180,000 festival goers about to descend on rural Somerset, police are already gearing up for this years Glastonbury Festival.

Glastonbury is the force’s largest policing operation of the year, but officers will not be forgetting the villagers of Pilton.

For most of the year Pilton is made up of only a few thousand residents living in the Somerset countryside, but the village’s population swells massively for a week in June.

Police are working with the festival organisers and Mendip District Council to ensure the impact of the festival on villagers is as little as possible.

A dedicated tri-partite office is set up in Pilton throughout the event where residents can discuss any issues or problems they might have as well as report any incidents.

There is also an off site policing and security plan to ensure festival goers do not interrupt the daily lives of villagers.

This has been drawn up with the help and knowledge of local officers with local residents’ wishes and observations in mind.

Reports of crime from local residents have decreased dramatically in recent years, along with overall crime levels at the event.

Supt Adrian Coombs, head of police planning for the festival, said: “While the festival has become a safer place for all concerned, we are very conscious of the impact on local communities.

“Some people enjoy the event, but there are others who prefer to try and go about their daily business as much as possible.

“If local villagers do have any problems, issues or anything they would like to discuss with any of the agencies involved, I would encourage them to visit the Tri-partite office in Pilton village and speak to the staff there.

“As part of our off site plan, there will be dedicated police officers and security teams patrolling in and around the surrounding villages speaking to local people and ensuring their safety.

“Their role will be one of high visibility and public reassurance to local people".

“Villagers have already been given a non-emergency number to call if they have any issues, but if people do face an emergency situation, my advice would be to call 999 – as at any other time of the year.”

Police will begin setting up for the festival at Worthy Farm a week prior to the start of the event.

Extensive plans from police and organisers are already in place to deal with increased traffic coming towards the site and into Pilton village.

Road closures will be in place around Pilton and surrounding villages to reduce as much traffic movements in the areas as much as possible.

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