Burst of colour at Luton Carnival

Enjoying its second year at Wardown Park, Luton’s flagship festival was filled with family-friendly fun and activities that brought out the best in the town.

Keen to avoid the disturbances of 2016, Bedfordshire Police maintained a solid presence throughout the day and ensured the event passed by smoothly.

Chief Superintendent David Boyle said: “The carnival is a really important day for Luton, celebrating the diversity which makes the town such a great place. Officers were out and about meeting the public and most importantly ensuring that everyone had a safe and enjoyable day.

“We then maintained a presence in and around the town centre once the carnival had finished to make sure that everyone got home safely.”

Officers arrested four people, but no disorder was reported in the hours after the carnival had finished.

After attending her first carnival as the new Mayor of Luton, Cllr Naseem Ayub said: “This is a fantastic event and it takes an extraordinary effort from all our partners to make it a safe and enjoyable day for the whole family.”

UKCCA chairman Hopeton Walker said: “It was a parade with brilliant colours, dancers and a cacophony of sound.

“A huge thanks to our blue light services, our partners and the whole community for making the 42nd Luton International Carnival such a resounding success.”