BOOMTOWN are to pull their party drugs safety testing service at the festival this year.

Festival organisers announced today that the front of house drugs safety service, where festival-goers could have their drugs tested, is to be pulled due to "ongoing legal complexities".

In a statement on their website, organisers said: "As many are aware for the past two years we have been working alongside The Loop to provide front of house drugs safety service, we are deeply saddened to announce that they are no longer able to provide the drugs safety testing service at the festival this year.

"We were informed towards the end of last week, the provision of this service at this year’s festival may no longer be possible.

"Since then, we have been working around the clock with all the key stakeholders to try to find a resolution, however, despite all of our efforts, the ongoing legal complexities has meant that The Loop are unable to provide the front of house drug safety testing element of their valuable and respected services at this year’s event.

"Please remember drugs are illegal and can, and do kill.

"No drug is ‘safe’."

For the past two years, Boomtown have provided a testing tent run by The Loop, an organisation which usually conducts forensic testing of drugs seized by police.

They will then tell festival-goers what is in the drugs before destroying whatever was handed over.

Organisers have said they will continue to provide extensive medical and welfare support onsite and claim that The Loop will still be in attendance providing expert one-on-one counselling, drug awareness and safety advice for free at this year’s festival.

Organisers also plan to work with the festival's back-of-house drug testing service provider, TICTAC, to identify harmful substances circulating at the festival and keep those in attendance informed.

The scheme came into place after a spate of drug-related deaths at festivals in recent years, including Olivia Christopher, 18, who died at the Winchester festival in 2016.

She is the fourth person to have died during the nine-year history of Boomtown.