Staffordshire Police believe they have secured the UK's first exclusion order covering a music festival.

Anyone caught committing a violent offence at the two-day event could face a ban of up to two years from future festivals.

A police spokesman said they had been working with the event's promoters for the past six months to ensure the festival at Weston Park was safe for visitors.

Prevent troublemakers

"For the first time in the UK, an occasional licence has been granted to cover the whole of a music festival.

"The licensed area, which incorporates the whole site, has been agreed by police, licensees and magistrates."

As many as 70,000 music fans are expected to turn up to see headliners the Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Coldplay at the dual-music festival on 16 and 17 August, which will also be held at Hylands Park, in Chelmsford.

"The force believes that this will send out a clear message that violence of any kind will not be tolerated and that the use of exclusion orders will be used to prevent troublemakers moving freely between festivals," said the spokesman.