Festival gives young girls 'advice'

Laura Goldsmith (right), 17, from Manchester and her friend Fiona

Thousands of leaflets containing 'stay safe advice' are being given to girls aged 18 and under at this weekend's Reading and Leeds festival.

Tips on the handouts include learning the layout of campsites, keeping to "busier" areas and carrying a torch.

The move comes after there were two claims of rapes at last month's Latitude festival. Reading and Leeds is run by the same people.

Teenagers arriving to see bands like Arcade Fire, The Libertines and Pendulum at this year's Leeds festival have mixed reactions to the advice.

Rachel Seymour (right), 17, from Sheffield and her friend Beth Mears

"I think it's good that they're making an effort to do it but I think it's all pretty common sense, things that I'd do anyway," said Laura Goldsmith, 17, from Manchester.

"I think it's good that they're reinforcing the message. As long as you keep your wits about you, and you know who you're with and you can trust them - I think you'll be fine."

Rachel Seymour, 17, from Sheffield said: "It's probably a good thing but I'm not sure I'd take that much notice of it. I'd probably just ignore it. I'm not worried."

In light of the assault claims at Latitude festival boss Melvin Benn explained that there would be more police on site at Reading and improved lighting in campsite areas on both sites.

"We've re-briefed the security teams to be more alert to the potential of young females being vulnerable," he said.

A 'reminder'

On the subject of the leaflets he added: "It's not to issue them with any major revelations. It'll be no more than their parents have issued them with. It'll just be that reminder."

While Reading and Leeds are concentrating on keeping young females, and the rest of their fans safe, it's been a summer where some festival headliners haven't been the ones to earn the headlines.

Organisers say that serious crime isn't increasing at major UK festivals

In early July at T In The Park, Balado, Kinross-shire, three men from Glasgow were charged with the attempted murder of two people.

There was also claims of sexual assaults.

But organisers are united in insisting serious crime is not on the increase at major UK music festivals.

"I consider them much safer places to be than most high streets on a Thursday, Friday, Saturday night," added Benn.

However, they are still looking at ways to reassure fans that their future events are safe places to go.

Bob Angus, the man who runs V Festival, which took place last weekend, says next year they could email fans to pass on advice about avoiding trouble.

"We've got a very strong database - I think possibly more electronic messaging stuff could be a more sensible way."

One hundred and fifty thousand fans across two sites at this weekend's Reading and Leeds will see headline performances from Guns N' Roses, Arcade Fire and Blink 182.