Northampton: Extra stop and search powers granted after knife fight

A group of people were seen fighting with knives at The Racecourse park in Northampton on Sunday, police said

Extra stop and search measures were put in place in Northampton following a knife fight in a park.

Northamptonshire Police said the Section 60 order was in place until midnight on Sunday after a confrontation between a group of people at The Racecourse earlier in the day.

The order covered the park and the roads surrounding it.

Officers said it was put in place due to "a potential risk of public disorder".

Section 60 powers allow officers to conduct searches without "reasonable suspicion", but only when a chief officer believes strict criteria have been met and it is needed to prevent serious violence.

Under the order, which was put in place from 19:50 BST, officers were able to "stop any pedestrian or vehicle without any cause for suspicion and conduct a search for offensive weapons to protect people from harm", the force said.

Officers from the Northampton Neighbourhood Policing Team also took part in extra patrols.

Insp Mark Pattison said that applying for a Section 60 order was "not something we do lightly".

He said the force had received information that there was "an increased risk of public disorder around the racecourse area" on Sunday evening and the extra powers helped officers "provide a safer environment for all".