MUSIC fans claim a concert at Chepstow Racecourse descended into brawls and drug use.

About 12,000 people packed into the racecourse on Saturday to see chart-toppers UB40 at its sold-out race night but some punters told the Argus they were angered by insufficient security and reported drug use in toilets.

Course chiefs say they will be reviewing the lay-out for concerts and are liaising with police over the drug claims.

Debbie Stothert, from Cardiff, attended the concert with her husband and another couple. In a letter to the racecourse seen by the Argus she said it was the “worst race meeting I have ever been to anywhere in the country”.

She said her husband was confronted with open drug use in the men’s toilets and that because of their distance from the racecourse itself, the party did not see a horse on the track during their entire visit

She added in her letter: “We left immediately after the last race as we felt that trying to actually see UB40 would be an impossible task.

“We have all been to many courses all over the country. I have never been anywhere where the facilities were so poor and I will never attend your racecourse again.”

Karen Inker, from Newport, attended her first concert at Chepstow with three friends and said she would not be going again after witnessing brawls during the concert.

Mrs Inker, 54, said: “People were going through the VIP section. They pulled the barricades on us and the crowd went wild. The security was young boys who couldn't do a lot about it and the next thing you know there were full-blown fights.

“We stood and heard a bit of music – what we could hear.”

Her party of four had paid £30 each for their tickets but took an earlier bus home to Newport than expected after watching the trouble unfurl in front of them.

Chepstow Racecourse’s executive director Phil Bell said: “The UB40 Race Night attracted a capacity crowd attendance of 12,000. With any event of this scale there are always operational challenges. The temporary hospitality marquees, car parking locations, toilets and food/drink outlets were spread around the site to encourage customers to maximise use of the space at the venue.

“We will be reviewing how effective this lay-out worked in light of customer feedback and we will of course implement any necessary improvements. We will definitely be improving the toilet provision for large scale events. With reference to the allegations of drug taking on site, we are investigating in liaison with the police.”