Tens of thousands of golf fans are expected to flock to Kent as The Open comes to the county.

Police have warned that there will be a heavily increased presence in east Kent this week when Sandwich hosts the golf tournament.

The championship, which will see players from all over the world compete for the Claret Jug, will run at the Royal St George's Golf Course from Wednesday to Sunday.

The event is being included in the government's Event Research Programme, meaning it can hold much higher capacities than are currently allowed in the current Covid-19 guidance.

This means that crowds of up to 32,000 are expected on each day, while smaller gatherings are also expected on the practice days, which run from yesterday through to Tuesday.

A Kent Police spokeswoman said that the force is working hard to make sure any impact on the community is kept to a minimum.

Assistant Chief Constable Nikki Faulconbridge said: "The Open is the biggest sporting event hosted in Kent this year and we want everyone to enjoy the week.

"This has been several years in the planning, with last year’s event being cancelled due to the pandemic but we have been constantly working behind the scenes with the event organisers and local partners to ensure the event is successful but also minimises any disruption to the local community.

"We will have a large number of trained and specialist officers at The Open with a great deal of experience of policing an event of this nature and size to ensure it is successful and the public are kept safe."

Meanwhile Dover District Council has put up Union and England flags for the tournament at its Whitfield headquarters.

England has not had a Champion Golfer since Sir Nick Faldo won at Muirfield in Scotland in 1992. The last English winner on an English course was Tony Jacklin in 1969 at Royal Lytham & St Annes in Lancashire.

DDC chief executive Nadeen Aziz said: "The return of The Open to Royal St George’s is the perfect showcase for the district and county and a real boost for the visitor economy and hospitality businesses.

"It is the biggest sporting event regularly hosted in Kent and always involves a huge amount of planning on the part of local partners.

"But organising The 149th Open has been like no other with the challenges of Covid-19.

"However rigorous protocols are in place at Royal St George’s.

“The R&A has worked tirelessly with public health officials both nationally and locally as part of the Government’s Events Research Programme and we’re doing everything to minimise the risks and to ensure that everyone can enjoy a week of world-class golf."

The council had put up the flags on Friday to also mark England's entry into the final of Euro 2020 at Wembley.

The team lost 3-2 on penalties to Italy yesterday but it was the first time it had been in a major football final since it won the World Cup in 1966.

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