Betfred British Masters Golf tournament - Hillside Golf Club, Southport

The Betfred British Masters Golf tournament will be held at Hillside Golf Club in Southport from Wednesday 8^th May to Sunday 12^th May 2019.

Merseyside Police has been working alongside the event organisers, Sefton Council, and other partners to ensure the event is an enjoyable experience for everyone involved.

Visitors are being reminded of some very simple steps they should take to ensure their time in Merseyside is memorable for all the right reasons.

Superintendent Mark Wiggins said: “People can help by giving themselves extra time to get to the course, arriving in good time and limiting the number of bags and other items they bring along. They should also expect to undergo the normal security checks, including bag searches. I would also advise:

• Keeping things like your mobile, wallet, purse or handbag secure and on your person at all times
• If travelling in by car, use a designated car park but still do not leave any valuables on display or hidden in obvious places
• Make use of your car alarm, immobiliser and remember to close your windows
• Be aware of the potential, as with any sporting event, for forged tickets. If you get offered a ticket at a price that is too good to be true then it probably is, and will be a fake
• Don’t carry large amounts of cash around and use the on-course ATMs
• If out in any of our town or city centres after the day's golf, please watch how much you drink, stick together with your friends, and keep your mobile phones, cash and personal possessions safe
• Finally, if you need the police for any reason, please approach any officers who will be on duty at the course and in the Southport area, or call 101.

“We constantly review our approach to supporting our partners in delivering any large-scale public event. We will be using a variety of tactics, both highly visible and covert, using police officers and staff alongside other resources such as dogs, firearmsand CCTV cameras. We want to reassure communities that we are working together to keep everyone safe.

“We continue to call on the public to be vigilant and to report anything that they deem to be suspicious immediately by telling a police officer, or by calling 101 or 999 in an emergency or by calling the Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321.

For more information about the event visit the event organiser’s website – http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2019/

For information about how to get to the event by bus or train visit www.merseytravel.gov.uk