'We've had babies born at Hull Fair and seen it all'

Helen Thackeray, the event safety manager, says her team deals with everything from medical incidents to crowd management at the fair

Tucked away behind the hustle and bustle of Hull Fair, inside a row of portable cabins, a team is quietly monitoring CCTV cameras to ensure the 40,000 people who visit each night stay safe.

Helen Thackeray, the events and sports ground safety manager for Hull City Council, says all manner of incidents have been seen at the Walton Street site - from missing pets and antisocial behaviour through to newborn babies.

"It's amazing how many people have a go on the waltzers to see if they can bring a baby on. We've had them born here in the past," she reveals.

"We had a guy the other night who had a burst appendix. One year someone handed kittens in here - they're called Helter and Skelter - and they're living with a lovely family now. We see all sorts."

CCTV cameras are spread across the fairground to allow staff to monitor each minute of the event

The team monitors every minute of the fair via CCTV cameras and radio messages from staff on the ground. The biggest responsibility is crowd management with the team watching as thrill seekers make their way down Walton Street.

Ms Thackeray adds: "People come in and, obviously, there will be rides that are busier than others. We are always looking because there can be up to 50,000 people at this site at any one time."

Despite the volume of people, the team describe the 2025 event as "one of the best behaved" and say they have seen little antisocial behaviour.

And when potential trouble does flare up, staff are on hand to resolve the situation before it escalates.

Calum Macdonald, 51, a security worker, takes a call from a steward who reports three people have tried to carry alcohol on to the site, which is strictly against the rules.

"They've been asked to pour it [the alcohol] away and they have been very compliant," he says.

"One person was so drunk that we advised him to leave the fair tonight and come back another time. We managed to resolve that situation without the need for police."

Security worker Calum Macdonald says the majority of fairgoers are happy to follow the rules

Mr Macdonald also said one of the biggest demands is reuniting lost children with their parents and says most incidents are resolved "within seconds".

"When it comes to lost children, if they have a bit of paper in their pocket with a parent's phone number on it's fantastic because we can get them reunited straight away.

"It is about getting them back with as little distress to the child or their parents as possible."

Hull Fair, which is now in its 731st year, is one of the largest travelling fairs in Europe.

It attracts about 600,000 visitors during its week-long stay next to West Park.

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