DISABLED toilets at York Racecourse will be put under lock and key after an investigation by a national newspaper allegedly found traces of cocaine in bathrooms.

An undercover journalist reportedly found traces of the drug using a swab in two disabled toilets in the Country Stand area on the Thursday of the three-day Dante Festival.

A spokesman for York Racecourse said the site aims to be as accessible as possible for all racegoers but will now have to put disabled facilities under lock and key.

He said: “On a balanced judgement between speed of access versus the potential for abuse, the racecourse had previously decided that these specific disabled toilets should not be operated only by a special key (known as a radar key). However given the zero tolerance policy, these locks will now be fitted to these toilets.

“Taken at face value, the investigation reports no evidence of drug taking, despite wide spread testing, in either any of the main toilets nor any of the disabled toilets in the Grandstand and Paddock enclosure, where we understand approximately twenty swabs were taken.”

Security measures at the meeting, which attracted about 40,000 visitors, included sniffer dogs, assistance from North Yorkshire Police officers, bag checks, toilet monitoring and more than 300 specially trained stewards.

The spokesman said no incidents of anti-social behaviour were reported and added: “The issue of drugs is a major concern for society as a whole, racecourses as with other venues are part of that wider society, not separate to it.

“York Racecourse remains committed to offering an enjoyable and safe experience to all its customers and does not condone the choice of a few individuals to break the law.”