Leeds Tops List of UK Festivals With the Most Arrests

Arrest Rates Reveal Safety Levels at UK’s Largest Festivals

Expert warns of what you should NEVER do at a festival

New research reveals Leeds Festival has the highest arrest rate of UK festivals, with 1 in every 1266 people arrested last year.

Personal safety app Help Me Angela, carried out the research to find out which UK festivals see the most trouble per number of visitors and the festivals that offer more reassurance, especially to those going for their first time. The results showed it wasn’t necessarily the higher the number of visitors equaling more arrests.

Leeds Festival, one of the country’s largest music festivals, topped the list with the highest arrest rate. In 2023, Leeds Festival saw 71 arrests among its 90,000 attendees, translating to an arrest rate of approximately 1 in 1,266 visitors. Yet Wireless Festival, with 135,000 attendees, only reported 27 arrests last year.

Creamfields, renowned for its electronic and dance music, follows closely behind Leeds. With 53 arrests among 70,000 attendees, the festival had an arrest rate of 1 in 1,316 visitors. Reading Festival, the sister event to Leeds, showed a slightly better safety record with 48 arrests out of 90,000 attendees.

On the other end of the spectrum, All Points East emerged as the safest festival. The multi-genre event held in London had a notably low arrest rate of 1 in approximately 7,692 visitors, with only 15 arrests among its 40,000 attendees. Camp Bestival and Wilderness Festival also ranked among the safest, with arrest rates of 1 in 5,882 and 1 in 5,000 visitors, respectively.

Richard Davies, founder of ethical ticket resale platform Twickets who have partnered with Help Me Angela this summer, comments:

“We’ve had customers buying festival tickets for their teenage children and if it’s the first event they are going to away from home, some of those parents told us they have chosen to stay in a hotel nearby the site, just in case they are needed. It can be a worrying time, but thankfully the arrest numbers are relatively low considering how many people attend big events. I’d recommend checking out smaller festivals like Beautiful Days and End of the Road, for a more relaxed experience.”

Here are the top ten most popular music festivals in the UK between July and August, along with their estimated visitor numbers and the number of arrests from 2023 data:

Five things you should never do at a festival

Michelle Roycroft spent over 30 years working in law enforcement services, including the Metropolitan Police and Scotland Yard. Michelle is also Chief Ambassador for personal safety app Help me Angela, that offers reassurance to anyone who needs to feel safer when travelling alone.

Using her experience, Michelle has shared her advice for keeping safe at live music events and festivals this summer.

Don’t blend in with the crowd

When it’s pitch black and you’ve been in a loud music tent all day, you will struggle to find your way back to your own tent to get some rest. Michelle advises: “Do everything you can to help your tent stand out.

“Flags are great for this as you can personalise them, try covering your tent in bunting, using glow sticks, solar-powered fairy lights, or using a soft toy as a beacon to guide you back to get some sleep. If you’ve brought a backup battery for your phone, you could use an Apple Airtag or rely on apps like Google Maps to drop a pin and ‘whatthreewords’ to save the location.

Don’t use a padlock on your tent

Although festivals generally have a friendly vibe, there will still be the odd person who may take advantage of a situation for their own gain. Michelle comments: “You may think securing your tent with a padlock would be the sensible thing to do, but instead, it screams out to a potential burglar that there may be something valuable inside.

“After all, all they need to get into a tent is a sharp object. You should avoid bringing valuables to the festival, but if you do need to leave anything, make sure it’s well hidden and away from the entrance.

“If the sun is beating down, you’ll want to keep your food and drink as cool as possible, as well as away from others looking for a free meal. Those emergency foil blankets are great for this as they are quite large when they unfold. Just drape them and pin them down over your items to keep the sun away and your food and drink to yourself.”

Don’t just use your phone for photos

Michelle comments: “Use your phone as a personal safety device. The Help Me Angela app is a unique personal safety app that connects users with a live Personal Safety Specialist available 24/7. By pressing the “Follow Me” button, users can have a specialist accompany them virtually on their journey, ensuring their safety and checking in if they don’t reach their destination, so it’s ideal for peace of mind for relatives of those travelling to and from live music events.

In partnership with fan-to-fan resale site Twickets, all UK and Northern Ireland residents are able to sign up to the app for free for 60 days by visiting:

 https://partners.twickets.live/helpmeangela/

Don’t keep valuables together

Michelle adds: “Property can be replaced, you can’t. If someone tries to steal your belongings, don’t resist. Throw your belongings on the floor and run away in the opposite direction. Nothing you have in your bag is more valuable than your own life, even a sentimental item. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to keep your belongings safer.

“Keep your credit cards, keys, and phone in separate pockets. Keeping them all in the same place means a thief can grab your coat or bag and have access to everything. And, if your driver’s licence and keys are together, someone could easily have access to your home.”

Don’t keep quiet

Michelle advises: “Familiarise yourself with the location of security staff when you arrive at the event, they are there to help you and ensure everyone’s safety. If you feel unsafe, approach a security officer and clearly explain your situation. Provide specific details about what is making you feel unsafe so they can assist you.

“When speaking to security, try to remain calm and composed. This will help you communicate your concerns more effectively. Keep an eye on your friends and fellow gig-goers. If you see someone who looks distressed or in need of help, don’t hesitate to alert security staff.”

Weekend passes for Wilderness Festival this weekend are available for face value or less via Twickets: https://www.twickets.live/en/event/1754951444345135104#sort=FirstListed&typeFilter=Any&qFilter=All