Cheltenham Festival to increase security after footballers urine incident

Cheltenham Racecourse's new grandstand was opened in 2015

Security is to be increased at the Cheltenham Festival after footballers were pictured apparently urinating into a glass at the 2016 event, Cheltenham racecourse have confirmed to the BBC.

MK Dons midfielder Samir Carruthers and Northampton Town loanee James Collins apologised after appearing to relieve themselves on a balcony.

"We don't want this showpiece event linked with drunken culture," festival director Ian Renton told The Times.

"When a line is crossed we will react."

Stephen Atkin, chief executive of the Racecourse Association, told BBC Radio Gloucestershire: "That sounds like a perfectly sensible way forward for Cheltenham.

"They would have been entitled to expect a more proactive performance from the hospitality people. But clearly the ultimate responsibility lies with Cheltenham, so they're taking it into their own hands.

"The vast majority of race-goers are extremely well behaved. We were lucky on this occasion that nobody was affected by their behaviour but it is not a risk that Cheltenham would want to take.

"There's a lot going on at the moment to make sure that everybody has an enjoyable time but people don't go too far."

In March, Bristol City's Luke Ayling apologised for any embarrassment caused to his club after being photographed with Carruthers and Collins.

Cheltenham Festival cancelled a booking from a sports management company after the incident.

The four-day Cheltenham Festival is one of the highlights of the horse racing season.