DRUNKEN yobbery marred the weekend in York, with up to 30 people arrested in one night.

Prisoners were sent to cells as far away as Skipton and Northallerton after York Police Station quickly filled to capacity on Saturday.

A York Police spokesman said a combination of a busy visitor season evening and the John Smith's Cup at York Racecourse, attended by 37,000 people, put far more people on the streets than average.

Officers dealt with a string of incidents at Knavesmire and across the city centre from 7pm onwards as pubs and bars filled with revellers.

Fights, mainly involving groups of young men, were reported at York Racecourse, outside Museum Gardens, at a pub in Piccadilly, outside a night spot in Tanner Row and in Coney Street.

One man was arrested near Budgens, in Micklegate, for urinating in public and a man, described as 5ft 6in tall, in his late 30s and with short, dark thinning hair, was reported for exposing himself to a woman in Marygate car park at about 5.30pm.

James Brennan, marketing manager at York Racecourse, said there were three arrests on the course during the meeting.

"We take it very seriously and have a very close relationship with the police," he said.

Updated: 10:29 Monday, July 12, 2004