AS YORKSHIRE’S oldest rugby seven-a-side tournament is set to take centre stage in Pocklington, thousands of sporting fans are being warned that drunken disorder will not be tolerated.

Trouble has broken out in Pocklington after the town’s Rugby Sevens event in past years, which annually attracts thousands of people, making it the busiest weekend of the year for both the rugby club and the town.

St Pete Rogers, of Pocklington policing team, said police would be stepping up their presence to deter any trouble on April 6.

He said problems tended to arise in the town centre after the main event at the rugby ground in Percy Road.

Last year a man exposed himself in front of the 3,000-strong crowd at the rugby ground. He was one of five offenders arrested during the event. In 2010, four arrests were made, with reports of assaults and people urinating in the street.

Sgt Rogers said: “While recent years have been virtually trouble free, there will be a concentrated police presence in the town throughout the evening to reduce the potential for public order incidents and to deal promptly and effectively with anyone causing trouble.

“The event is really well run and we work closely with the organisers to ensure that we assist where necessary during the day.

“Once the event is over, we get a large concentration of people coming into the town centre. We have met with local licensees and, once again, we’re working very closely with them to identify potential problems on the night and hopefully ensure that the policing operation will keep trouble to a minimum.

“The vast majority of people are good natured, but we want to ensure that everyone is reassured by a strong police presence in the town.”

Organisers Pocklington Rugby Club said Good Friday Sevens was Yorkshire’s longest established sevens tournament, which was launched in the late 1959.

The event has grown from humble beginnings into East Yorkshire’s biggest rugby union event, with many Yorkshire exiles making their way back home for an annual Easter reunion.