POLICE will again be hunting for the potentially fatal drug PMA, known as Dr Death, at this year’s Creamfields festival.


Insp Stuart Sheer, from Cheshire Police, confirmed officers will be on the look out for the amphetamine, often sold as ecstasy.


It has been linked to several deaths nationally.


The inspector said: “There are a drug element that come into the festival.


“Our operation is to prevent some of that getting into the site.


“PMA will be looked out for, and we are always looking for new things on the market, as we need to understand what they are.


“Last year there was 70 arrests for possession with intent to supply - that’s the real focus of the operation.


Search tents will be set up at an entrance point to the festival, manned by 20 officers, with sniffer dogs also on duty.


Creamfields has a zero tolerance policy on ‘legal highs’, and Insp Sheer said although anyone carrying such a substance cannot be arrested, the ‘high’ itself will be confiscated and disposed of.


“Our advice is not to take anything as half the time you don’t know what your taking, if you purchased it from someone you don’t know.”


The dance music festival is a big operation for Cheshire Police, with 400 officers expected to be on duty on both Saturday and Sunday.


Live Nation, which organises the event, pays for police to be there.


When asked how much police would be paid, a Cheshire Police spokesman said it is up to organisers to disclose the figure.

Insp Sheer said it would not effect policing elsewhere in Warrington as all officers working have cancelled rest days.


And unlike last year, police will be paid overtime where appropriate.


“They will be allowed to take the rest day at another time, and be paid for any time worked over their normal shift hours,” said Insp Sheer.


“There will be a community operation in local villages and we will make sure communities are effected as little as possible.” 

Creamfields said it was unable to disclose the fee paid to Cheshire Police for 'commercial' reasons.