Have fun but stay safe for Ottery Tar Barrels event

The annual Ottery Tar Barrels event is due to take place on Monday 5th November and is likely to attract thousands of visitors to the town. Police are working closely with other agencies, including fire and ambulance services to monitor the event.

The Tar Barrels Committee is reminding visitors to be mindful of their own safety and follow the advice given by marshals on the night.

In the event of a safety issue police will also be using Twitter to update visitors who have access via their mobile phones. To follow regular updates on Twitter please follow @DC_Police or alternatively search for hash tag #tarbarrels on Twitter.

Each year around 15,000 people are attracted to the town to watch the flaming barrels being carried through the streets and the committee want visitors to enjoy the event without putting themselves or others at significant risk.

As ever the advice is to listen to organisers and police.

• Do not bring young children to the event – the town will be extremely busy. • Do not try and touch the barrels • If you do not wish to feel the heat of the barrels please move to a less congested area away from the main event. • Visitors will only be allowed to park in designated car parks and the town will be closed off to all vehicles a few hours before the start of the event.

Supt Glen Mayhew said: “This event has been going for many years and continues to grow in popularity. The appeal is the unique style of the event, but this and the number of people attended poses a challenge for event organisers. People attending need to check the official website to ensure the safety advice is followed. Please leave plenty of time for travelling, use the designated car parks and during the event please follow all the advice from organisers to ensure you and those around you have a good time and remain safe.”

The organisers will have a public address system on the night in addition to the use of Twitter.