SIDMOUTH Police s neighbourhood beat manager, PC Steve Lemon, has described last week s FolkWeek as the best I have been to.

SIDMOUTH Police's neighbourhood beat manager, PC Steve Lemon, has described last week's FolkWeek "as the best I have been to."

Reporting to Sidmouth Town Council on Monday, PC Lemon said: "I don't think we had too many issues at all. People came to enjoy the festival this year."

Councillor Chris Wale praised the police, saying they had been "superb" during the week.

"It was a sheer pleasure, it was a fantastic atmosphere and there was a great police presence. You carried out your duties 100 percent," he said.

He also praised East Devon District Council's StreetScene for its "excellent service" in keeping the town clean.

Councillor Tony Reed, who is FolkWeek chairman, said the pedestrian crossing along the Esplanade "proved to be totally inadequate" during the festival because pedestrians caused long hold-ups of traffic until police stepped in to relieve the problem.

He thanked police for "stepping up and relieving the situation" and asked how the crossing could be adapted to make it more efficient, with control "over people and cars."

PC Lemon thought the crossing was in the wrong place and should have been further along the seafront.

"I was in the traffic and it was gridlocked," said Councillor Christine Drew, who thought a crossing controlled by lights would be better there.