POPULAR city nightclub Arena has decided to pull out of  two fancy dress student pub  crawls in Exeter.

 The club has decided to pull  out amid concerns that the  events, organised by Carnage  UK, could see 1,500 students  descend on city bars and clubs  over two nights.

Worries have been voiced  by civic leaders, the police and  the  University of Exeter’s  students guild about the events,  which are taking place this  Sunday, and Sunday, November 15.

This weekend’s event will  see 50 stewards, employed by  the company, shepherding  students between venues. It is  the first time Carnage UK has  hosted an event in the city.

A spokesman for Arena  said: “I can confirm that Arena has decided not to go ahead  with the Carnage event this  Sunday.

“We remain confident the  proceedings will be well controlled and trouble free, however have taken the commercial decision not to be part of  this event.

 “We wish all the participants a safe and fun night out  and apologise that Exeter’s  premier night club will not be  partaking this time.”

This follows the withdrawal  of Mosaic in Mary Arches  Street, which decided to pull  out after hearing police concerns.

 But other venues, including  Rococos in Mary Arches  Street  and Walkabout in Fore  Street, where the event will  kick off at 5.15pm, have confirmed they would still be taking part and reassured people  that they would do all they  could to ensure the events ran  smoothly.

 Varsity Leisure Group Ltd  said its Carnage UK events are  carefully planned, organised  and managed.

In response to Arena’s withdrawal from the event, a  spokesman said: “Varsity  Leisure Group, the owner of  the Carnage UK brand, has  measures in place to ensure  that students are able to attend the event this Sunday.”

Extra police  will be  drafted  in to help cope with the two  pub crawls. Police claim  booze-fuelled pub crawls can  encourage binge drinking.

And they fear the events  could lead to a repeat of circumstances in which University of Exeter student Gavin  Britton tragically died after a  heavy drinking session in the  city in 2006.

The Echo previously reported how the 18-year-old fresher  was found dead after he had  been on a pub crawl as part of  a so-called initiation ceremony for a university sports society in 2006.