Festival-goers have once again been reminded that laughing gas will not be tolerated at local festivals. 

Nitrous oxide equipment, including balloons and gas canisters, were uncovered by Essex Trading Standards at the V Festival this weekend, in partnership with Essex Police and V Festival security. 

More than ten festival-goers were removed from Hylands Park, in Chelmsford, as strict terms and conditions of their tickets stated that anyone caught with legal highs or nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, would be ejected. 

Cllr Roger Walters, Essex County Council cabinet member for trading standards, said: “It is excellent that nitrous oxide was removed from V Festival.

"I want festival-goers to have fun but not to take a risk with either so-called legal highs or nitrous oxide which can result in serious side effects, especially when combined with alcohol.”

Trading Standards officers also confiscated a quantity of counterfeit festival programmes on lanyards.

The authorities will also have a strong presence at Brownstock Festival, where a man died last year as a result of taking legal highs.