MONEY-SPINNING Creamfields' future in Runcorn will be discussed this week in debriefs between council officials and organisers after the event was hailed a massive success.

The town was a revolving door of revellers as 40,000 partygoers flooded into Daresbury on Saturday afternoon to dance the night away before departing bleary-eyed to their beds on Sunday morning.

Police made only 18 arrests, as opposed to 45 at last year's event, and say meticulous planning kept traffic chaos to a minimum, while Creamfields organisers said 'professional handling' minimised noise and congestion concerns for sleeping villagers.

Having been forced to move

from Speke to Daresbury due to an increasing lack of space, Cream chief executive James Barton is unlikely to look elsewhere now he has proved to doubters it can be done.

Yesterday he told the World the location had helped make the event 'absolutely unbeatable' for music fans who came from all corners of the globe to dance the night away.

"When we chose Daresbury as our preferred venue we asked to be given a chance to show how well we could put together an event of this size," Mr Barton said.

"We proved that we had the capability of handling thousands of people in a new location and to professionally handle issues such as noise and traffic in co-operation with the emergency services and the local authority.

"The combination of a more diverse line-up, a greenfield location and in excess of 40,000 fans out for a good time was absolutely unbeatable!"

The 38-year-old Liverpudlian will hold debriefing talks with Halton Council officials and the emergency services to find out what worked and what could be improved on should Creamfields apply to hold the dance extravaganza in Halton again next year.

Cheshire Police said 500 extra officers drafted in to police the festival meant that policing levels in town centres and neighbourhoods were maintained.

Of the 18 arrests made on-site, five were on suspicion of theft from a motor vehicle. Other offences included assault and drug dealing.

Chf Supt Nick Ingram said he was 'satisfied' with how the operation went and would be seeking feedback from residents and parish councils.