Record numbers to police Notting Hill carnival

More than 6,500 police officers are due to take to the streets in London for the second day of the Notting Hill Carnival today as Scotland Yard continues its unprecedented security operation just weeks after the riots.

Record numbers of police officers will be on duty with London’s reputation at stake in the wake of widespread violence and looting earlier this month.

The festivities got off to a peaceful start yesterday with more than 5,500 officers on the streets as revellers descended on the capital for Europe’s biggest street festival.

It is expected more than a million people will attend the two-day event.

Between 6am and 8pm there were 53 arrests for a variety of offences including drugs possession, public order, theft, criminal damage, robbery and assault, the Metropolitan Police said.

Officers from the Dog Support Unit seized three Pit-Bull type dogs under Section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act but no-one was arrested, the force added.