Extra police and officers mounted on horseback have been drafted in to keep the town safe ahead of Watford Football Club’s biggest match in years this weekend.

On Saturday, the culmination of a season’s hard work will come to its conclusion, with the chance of promotion to the Premier League for the Hornets.

Watford have to come away with a better result against Leeds than Hull, who are playing Cardiff, in order to move up a league.

The town’s chief inspector Nick Caveney said that although they were expecting a lot of extra fans, it would largely be "business as usual".

He said: "From our perspective, we are looking forward to the match and wish the club all the best.

"We have no intelligence of any planned disorder but are aware that there will be increased numbers in town and at the club.

"We risk assess things like nights out in the town and football matches in order to ensure we have sufficient resources in place.

"As is normal for a match we have police in the town, and considering the significance of this we have mounted branch out with us and increased numbers of officers, because we are expecting people to go from the football to have a drink in the town centre."

The last time the team was promoted to the country’s top football league was seven years ago in 2006, and the Hornets have been promoted every seven years since the league was founded in 1992.

There is a tradition among Hornets fans of jumping in the top of town pond when their team has been promoted.

Watford Borough Council said concerned residents had been in touch about the welfare of the fish, suggesting they be relocated for the day.

CI Caveney added: "We are well used to policing Watford football and it’s just about managing the slightly increased numbers and making sure everyone is safe.

"There is nothing part unusual for us, we police at Vicarage Road every other weekend and it’s business as usual."