Security Tight For Grand National

More than 150,000 people are expected to visit Merseyside over the next three days for the 162nd Aintree Grand National festival with security measures tighter than ever before.

With security high on the agenda at major sporting events following recent terrorist attacks, the organisers of Aintree have made unprecedented measures to ensure safety at the event.

Anyone attending will also be subject to security checks and should arrive in good time, police said while drug dogs will also be used for the first time.

Merseyside Police said the checks they faced were necessary to maintain their ‘excellent record of deterring crime and anti-social behaviour’ at the festival.

Ch Supt Ian Pilling said: ‘In order to ensure that everyone has an enjoyable and safe day at the races, we would ask all attendees to co-operate with the security measures in place.

‘The extra time given to ensure the safety of everyone at the event is time well spent.’

About 30,000 people are expected to attend the first day of the event while the Grand National takes place on Saturday and Ladies Day is on Friday.