Police in Cornwall have announced plans to use facial recognition near Boardmasters.

This year’s event which kicks off in Newquay, from today (August 5) until Sunday (August 9) will see headline performances from Lily Allen, Kasabian and Fatboy Slim.

Ahead of the bash, live facial recognition (LFR) tools will be used by Devon and Cornwall Police in the town of Newquay but not at the festival site at Watergate Bay, reports BBC News.

The aim is to try to reduce the risk of violence against women and girls, organised serious crime, identify sexual offenders and prevent illegal drugs being brought into the county.

Images of people who are not of interest will be “automatically and permanently deleted within seconds” and police will not retain the data, officers said.

“It’s really important that we work with our communities and work with people in the festival to help prevent crime, help mitigate safeguarding risks and help make it an enjoyable event for everybody,” Supt Vicky Howell, police event commander, told BBC
News.

Say hello to your first Boardmasters 2026 acts.@FatboySlim @KasabianHQ @LoyleCarner @thekooksmusic

👉 Presale starts Thurs 27th November 10am

⚠️ Sign up before Weds 26th November at midnight for your 24-hour head start and to get Tier 1 ticket access. pic.twitter.com/Wu2jfGiBuo

— Boardmasters (@boardmasters) November 25, 2025

“What I would say if you are coming to the festival, look after yourself, look after each other, make sure that you stay with your friends and, if you do get separated, have a plan to get back together.

“And I think, really importantly, if you see something that does not look right, or if you see somebody who appears vulnerable, talk to a police officer, talk to a steward or talk to someone at the welfare team because we can help.”

A police van equipped with a biometric camera will be positioned in Killacourt, scanning faces against a “watch list” of thousands of known criminals, suspects and individuals with sexual harm prevention orders or suspected of drug dealing.

It comes after festival director Rob Spring recently spoke to BBC Radio Cornwall about the controversy that surrounded the 2024 and 2025 editions of the festival, and pledged to make the live event safer and more pleasant going forward.

The concerns arose as the 2024 edition saw numerous concertgoers speak out about a crowd surge after the event, in which seven attendees were hospitalised and others needed treatment from on-site medical staff.

That year also saw 11 people arrested at the festival site with charges relating to drug offences, sexual offences and assault. Festival organisers addressed the incidents and reassured people that they would be implementing new and improved safety measures for the 2025 edition.

New changes included 24/7 security coverage across campsites, more high-vis patrols, 24-hour support, and various medical points that were staffed by A&E doctors, nurses, and paramedics.

Boardmasters 2025 also drew some backlash after some social media users claimed that they had been victim to or witnessed spiking incidents on site.

In a statement addressing the claims, festival organisers shared that there had been a total of 14 reported spiking cases in 2025 – down from 55 in 2024 – and said that all individuals tested on site had returned a negative result for substances associated with spiking.

Last year’s Boardmasters saw headline performances from Central Cee, RAYE and The Prodigy, and other names on the bill included The Wombats, Wet Leg, Franz Ferdinand and Bob Vylan.

Speaking about the atmosphere that organisers are hoping to make at the 2026 edition, Spring said that they hope to create a space where “44,000 people [can] come together to feel that sense of freedom, be in the moment, connect with each other and connect with the artists.”

The festival launched in 1981 originally as a surfing competition, and has gone on to become one of the biggest music festivals in the UK. As well as the live music, it still hosts surfing competitions and skate contests.