Inventive grog sneaks nabbed

Visitors went to great lengths to evade a liquor ban at the Alexandra Blossom Festival at the weekend, even so far as to fill the windscreen washer reservoirs of their vehicles with spirits while one man strapped a hip flask to his leg.

"Some of them were pretty inventive," said Senior Constable Ross Greer, of Dunedin.

A liquor ban was first imposed last year to reduce disorder at the festival. This year, Central Otago District Council again banned alcohol and glass from public places in Alexandra, Clyde and Cromwell.

Police checkpoints were set up at both ends of Alexandra to search cars. Senior Sergeant Mike Cook, of Alexandra, said the amount of liquor seized was significantly less than during the previous year.

- NZPA