Another year of successful policing at the Cheltenham Festival

Gloucestershire Constabulary has thanked everyone who played a part in making the 2026 Cheltenham Festival a safe and enjoyable event for all.

A combined total of 226,223 people attended the four day event and despite this only four arrests were made at Cheltenham Racecourse with details below:

• On Tuesday 10 March a 24-year-old man from Gloucester was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class A drugs after he was found in possession of 20/30 individual bags of cocaine and £500 in cash on Tuesday. He was taken to police custody and later released on bail pending further enquiries.
• On Wednesday 11 March a 29-year-old woman from Derby was arrested on suspicion of drink driving on Wednesday after providing a positive roadside breath test within one of the Racecourse car parks. Kyana Binning, of Uttoxeter New Road in Derby, was later charged with being in charge of a motor vehicle when above the legal alcohol limit and released on bail. She is due to appear at Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 14 April.
• On Thursday 12 March a 49-year-old man from Walsall was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault by touching following a report that he had slapped a woman on the bottom. He was taken to police custody and has since been released under investigation.
• On Friday 13 March a 33-year-old man from Staffordshire was arrested on suspicion of wounding with intent following a report that two men had sustained injuries after being hit by a bottle which was thrown through the air. He was taken to police custody and has since been released on bail pending further enquiries.

In addition to resources working at and around the Racecourse, there was an enhanced community policing presence across Cheltenham throughout the event.

Officers and PCSOs conducted high visibility patrols, with a particular focus on identified ASB hotspots, around transport hubs, licensed premises and along popular walking routes.

There was also a particular focus on communities living within the vicinity of the Racecourse who have previously been affected by the anti-social behaviour of some.

To help tackle ASB officers from the Cheltenham Neighbourhood Policing Team took part in an operation targeting the anti-social use of e-scooters in the Prestbury area.

This saw the team speak to racegoers who were wanting to ride hired e-scooters and offering them to take part in a breath test to see if they measured above or below the legal drink drive limit.

They were engaging with racegoers and providing an awareness to those who didn't realise that e-scooters are classed as motor vehicles and that drink driving rules apply.

Over 50 people took part in a breath test and many blew over the legal drink drive limit which is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.

The community policing operation handed over to an enhanced Night Time Economy operation which saw additional officers deployed on foot to conduct high visibility patrols of the town.

Project Vigilant, which is aimed at targeting perpetrator behaviour in the night-time economy, also ran in Cheltenham during the Festival.

The operation aimed to provide the public with reassurance and detect and deter crime as tackling male violence and intimidation against women and girls is a priority for the force.

The initiative involved a team of dedicated, specially trained officers in the Force Control Room with access to CCTV along with plain clothed officers and uniformed officers on the ground.

During the deployments several safeguarding interventions took place. These included intervening after three males were seen to harass women and checking the details of a car after concerns were raised about the male occupant posing as a fake taxi driver.

Two arrests were also made; a man was arrested on suspicion of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and in a separate instance a man was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault following a report that he had sexually touched a woman without her consent.

Deputy Chief Constable Katy Barrow-Grint said: "I’m pleased that we had another successful year policing the Cheltenham Festival and I’d like to say a huge thank you to all the officers, staff, partner agencies, members of the public and racegoers who played a part in making the festival a safe event.

"I’d also like to say thank you to our Cheltenham communities and to everyone who travelled to join us for this year’s Races. Your support and co-operation helped create a safe and enjoyable atmosphere."