Drones to be installed at Villa Park and Molineux

Police drones will be permanently installed at the West Midlands' two Premier League stadiums.

The weatherproof drone hubs will be set up at Villa Park and Molineux, in what was believed to be a first for football in the UK, West Midlands Police said.

Aston Villa and Wolves will be home to devices that can be flown remotely by pilots working from control rooms miles away.

The force added the drones would beam live footage of crowds arriving and leaving matches into club control rooms using satellite internet, supporting matchday policing.

A test flight using existing drones and new satellite equipment took place in January, with the permanent hubs to be the next phase of the project.

The official launch date would be later this year, but a spokesperson could not say exactly when.

As well as being used on matchdays, they said the drones could be used at short notice for other incidents, including searches for missing people or to provide officers with a live view of serious crashes.

Matt Welsted, the assistant chief constable leading the project, said it was a groundbreaking use of technology that would improve public safety.

"It'll mean the police officers and club officials who share the job of ensuring crowds get to and from grounds safely will have access to live video, so any issues with congestion can be dealt with swiftly and safely," he said.

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