Clamp on drunkenness at Llanelli carnival
Police are taken measurers this year to ensure Wales’s biggest Christmas Carnival is not spoiled by drunkeness.
They have been visiting schools before Friday‘s Llanelli Carnival because of large numbers of drunken young teenagers apprehended early on carnival night last year.
They hope by education, offering advice and police presence to deter underage drinking.
The youngsters' Facebook and electronic gadget grapevine was to blame last year, suggest police.
Llanelli carnival committee heard how as early at 5pm on Carnival night last year many teenagers as young as 13 and 14 were being taken home in an intoxicated state. Some young girls were found lying on the grass so inebriated they were unable to stand. There was little trouble but people had been amazed at the level of drunkenness.
Roger Bowen, of carnival organisers Llanelli Round Table, said it was necessary to take robust measurers to protect the thousands of young families who attended the carnival and the youngsters themselves. He asked that public houses known to have been serving under age be visited too.
He said: “We want everyone to enjoy themselves as they have for more than 30 years at this fun event that heralds Christmas in the town.”
Sgt Justin Evans said the electronic grapevine and Facebook had been alive for days with school friends organising after school parties before the carnival last year. It meant many of them were too intoxicated to see it.
Some festival members said they were aware too that certain pubs in Llanelli had been guilty of serving to the under aged early on carnival night. Police agreed to visit those named.
Because the carnival attracted family crowds of up to 20,000 and was the second biggest event in the Dyfed Powys Police calendar year next to the Royal Welsh Show, Sgt Evans said they were visiting schools and public houses in the run up to the carnival to try and prevent a recurrence of last year’s underage drunkenness.
There would be 24 officers on duty in the town centre on carnival night.
The carnival parade starts from Festival Fields at 6.30pm on Friday November 18th and travels into Llanelli for a firework display at approximately 7pm. Entertainment included live radio broadcast stage groups, a fairground and street entertainment.
There is a Christmas fayre in Llanelli on Saturday and the Cairngorm Reindeer Parade from 1pm in Stepney Street and Vaughan Street on Sunday November 20th which is expected to attract families of up to 12,000.
They have been visiting schools before Friday‘s Llanelli Carnival because of large numbers of drunken young teenagers apprehended early on carnival night last year.
They hope by education, offering advice and police presence to deter underage drinking.
The youngsters' Facebook and electronic gadget grapevine was to blame last year, suggest police.
Llanelli carnival committee heard how as early at 5pm on Carnival night last year many teenagers as young as 13 and 14 were being taken home in an intoxicated state. Some young girls were found lying on the grass so inebriated they were unable to stand. There was little trouble but people had been amazed at the level of drunkenness.
Roger Bowen, of carnival organisers Llanelli Round Table, said it was necessary to take robust measurers to protect the thousands of young families who attended the carnival and the youngsters themselves. He asked that public houses known to have been serving under age be visited too.
He said: “We want everyone to enjoy themselves as they have for more than 30 years at this fun event that heralds Christmas in the town.”
Sgt Justin Evans said the electronic grapevine and Facebook had been alive for days with school friends organising after school parties before the carnival last year. It meant many of them were too intoxicated to see it.
Some festival members said they were aware too that certain pubs in Llanelli had been guilty of serving to the under aged early on carnival night. Police agreed to visit those named.
Because the carnival attracted family crowds of up to 20,000 and was the second biggest event in the Dyfed Powys Police calendar year next to the Royal Welsh Show, Sgt Evans said they were visiting schools and public houses in the run up to the carnival to try and prevent a recurrence of last year’s underage drunkenness.
There would be 24 officers on duty in the town centre on carnival night.
The carnival parade starts from Festival Fields at 6.30pm on Friday November 18th and travels into Llanelli for a firework display at approximately 7pm. Entertainment included live radio broadcast stage groups, a fairground and street entertainment.
There is a Christmas fayre in Llanelli on Saturday and the Cairngorm Reindeer Parade from 1pm in Stepney Street and Vaughan Street on Sunday November 20th which is expected to attract families of up to 12,000.
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