British music fans heading to festivals and concerts across Italy this summer have been warned by the British Consul to keep their possessions safe from thieves.

To get the point across, the British embassy in Rome has circulated a video encouraging music fans and tourists from Britain to keep a close eye on their belongings.

With the theme "Make sure you spend your time at the festival, not with us”, the video features interviews with young tourists who lost their passports and money, and ended up spending much of their holiday at British consulates and police stations.

David Broomfield, British Consul in Rome says "Two simple steps can help you avoid becoming a victim of crime at festivals and busy tourist locations. First, treat your passport as a valuable document: if it gets lost or stolen you’ll spend your holiday applying for a travel document to get you home. Leave it at your hotel, and carry a photocopy with you. Second, keep your valuables with you at all times, and keep an eye on them! A bag over the back of a chair or on the floor in a restaurant or bar is such an easy target."

Getting a replacement travel document is both time-consuming and expensive, and British consulates, which are always busier during music festivals and the peak tourist season, say the more cases they can prevent, the better.