Boardmasters 2024: Festival-goers urged to 'call out' bad behaviour this weekend
ITV News' Grace Pascoe met with police at Boardmasters to hear how they're promoting safety on-site
People attending Boardmasters festival in Cornwall have been encouraged to "call out" bad behaviour on-site.
The 2024 lineup kicks off on Friday 9 August and finishes on Sunday 11 August, with headliners including Chase and Status, Sam Fender and Stormzy.
Thousands people travel to Newquay every year for a weekend of music and surfing.
This year will be the biggest yet, with 58,000 people attending. Many of them arrived on Thursday 8 August and were greeted by wet and windy weather.
Organisers have been working with Devon and Cornwall Police to put extra measures in place to help protect festival-goers.
Superintendent Russell Dawe, silver commander for policing the festival, said: "It's really important that we have a visible presence within the festival.
"Working alongside the festival organisers, Vision 9, it's to ensure the safety and well-being of those individuals that are here having a great time at the festival.
"We've got a real focus on safeguarding women and young girls that attend the festival alongside all festival goers.
"That comes along with we put resources within the festival site in the arena to really focus on those that we feel that are vulnerable or those that we feel are seeking out those vulnerable females. Those that may have drunk too much or may be on their own."
He added that there would be some "highly visible" officers patrolling the site, as well as plainclothes officers in the main arena and campsites.
Devon and Cornwall Police’s Project Night Eye is aimed at keeping young women and girls safe at events like Boardmasters.
Detective chief inspector Zoe Taylor gave this advice: “Stay together in groups, stay safe, have fun. If you see something that makes you feel uncomfortable and make sure you find us a member of security or a member of staff and engage with them or speak to the police, call it out.
"Ultimately, if you see something that makes you uncomfortable, say something. Make sure that behaviour stops."
The festival's director, Gaby Williams, has urged people not to be "bystanders" if they see something wrong happening on-site.
She said: “We really promote good vibes only and looking after each other.
"So we've got a lot of conversations about bystander messaging and look at looking after each other, knowing your limits and knowing when to step in and ask for help and we'll support you, judgment free."