More than 20 weapons were seized during a £1.4 million police operation designed to ensure a bikers' rally passed off without incident.

Warwickshire Police also revealed that 26 people were arrested during last week's four-day Bulldog Bash at Long Marston, near Stratford-upon-Avon.

The force, which had objected to Stratford District Council's decision to grant a licence for the event, said officers had confiscated 24 weapons, most of which were knives, during the festival.

Involving number plate recognition technology and a stop-and-search site near the entrance to the rally, the massive police operation followed the killing of Hell's Angel Gerry Tobin after last year's event.

In a statement, the Assistant Chief Constable of Warwickshire, Bill Holland, said: "The aim of the operation was to deter, protect and detect criminal activity in order to protect the public from harm.

"The majority of people attending Bulldog Bash are law-abiding motorbike enthusiasts but there are some people who are engaged in criminal activity and therefore pose a threat to others.

"We said well in advance that our aim was to deter people from attacking those attending or disrupting the event - the fact that there have been no major incidents clearly shows that we achieved that aim."

Mr Holland confirmed that no decision had been made over next year's policing operation in relation to the Bulldog Bash.

"We will consider that carefully alongside what took place this year and any new intelligence that comes to our notice," the senior officer said.

A spokesman for the Bulldog Bash said it had attracted around 20,000 visitors despite heavy rain which turned the show into a "Glastonbury on wheels".

"There have been no problems on site, so everything has gone swimmingly," the spokesman added.

He said although the organisers understood the police had to consider the public’s safety, they felt the scale of the operation was “excessive” particularly as they had not been consulted.

But he added:  “We are delighted by the huge amount of support from the public. This is reflected in the number of visitors.”

* Several men are due to stand trial in October in connection with the murder of 35-year-old Mr Tobin, who was shot dead on the M40 on August 12 last year.