If you're planning on attending Comic Con in Cosplay you should read this!

Motopoint Arena Cardiff has issued this warning for all cosplay visitors

FOR THIS WEEKENDS FILM & COMIC CON
This information can also be found on their website @showmasters
http://www.cardiffcomiccon.com/

As we saw at last year’s event, many of you who come along on the day do so in costumes and fancy dress. We wish to make you aware that a weapons policy will apply to fancy dress props and replica weapons as outlined below.

WEAPONS POLICY
All weapons and props must be checked at the desk on first arrival and approved by staff before they will be allowed into the convention.

Your prop may not be allowed to enter the Convention for one or more of the following reasons:
• Too large/unwieldy
• Blocks corridors/doorways or is likely to hit or inconvenience others
• Too heavy
- If it's heavy, it can hurt, especially if dropped
• Too hard
- No props made of hard wood, or any sort of metal
• Too sharp or spiky
- No sharp bits or edges, make sure they're sanded/rounded/padded/covered or otherwise protected adequately
• Too realistic
- No realistic replica weaponry without obvious 'Blaze' (brightly coloured) tips and the weapon itself being out of use, of course.
• No weapons that can fire any sort of projectile, even foam darts or water, unless it can be shown to be empty and/or that only some parts have been used for the prop.
• No actions which may lead event staff, attendees or members of the general public to believe you are in possession of a real live weapon, even at a distance. In these cases it is not only up to our (Staff) discretion; we do also have Venue Security in place who will have to approve it.
• No pyrotechnics, explosives (including cap-guns) or incendiary items
• Actual weapons (including airguns, deactivated guns, blunted/sharp knives or swords, live bows or slingshots) are expressly prohibited

In all cases, the weapon or prop must be no longer than 1.6 m (5.2ft). Any items longer this may be used in the Masquerade only and must be handed in to Registrations & Help Desk for safekeeping until then. If they are not handed in prior to the Masquerade they will not be permitted in the event itself

Please know that these rules are here to assure we have a safe Convention for both Staff and Attendees. If you have been asked to put your prop away please be so kind and do so or in an extreme case you might risk being escorted from the Convention.

A general safe rule is;
‘If you were to be hit with it repeatedly, would it break before you do?’
- If your answer is ‘no’ here then it means that someone could get hurt were this to happen. In which case we would recommend you leave it at home just so you don’t get disappointed once at the Convention.