Police insist they are “better prepared” to tackle potential civil unrest around the Brexit deadline at the end of the month.

Avon & Somerset police has restricted officers’ time off for the weekend after the UK is set to leave the European Union on October 31 as it steps up its contingency plans.

It says the force is more ready than it was in the spring for any consequences of Brexit happening or not.

A police spokesman said: “As part of the planning for the end of the month we have been reviewing our staffing resources.

“A limited restriction on further leave and time off was put in place about four four weeks ago as contingency for the potential Brexit weekend and is subject to ongoing review.

“The bottom line is that we are well prepared — and better prepared than we were in March or April.

“We have been working closely with our colleagues across the country, including the National Police Chiefs’ Council.

“Our planning involves preparing for various scenarios and is based on our experience of well-rehearsed plans and tried-and-tested procedures.”

Chief Inspector Ben Moseley told a meeting of South Gloucestershire Safer and Stronger Communities Strategic Partnership, which includes the police, council, CCG and the voluntary sector, there had been a spike in hate crime after the 2016 referendum.

“So we will be carefully monitoring that as we move towards the end of October,” he said.

“We have not thus far seen any significant increase in hate crime."

“Within the force we have already met with the Home Office to ensure we have a plan to deal with any contingencies for Brexit day.”

South Gloucestershire Council's head of safe strong communities Rob Walsh told the meeting on Friday, October 11: “Halloween is one of the biggest days in any event and there is a national concern there may be some tension as a result of Brexit or not Brexit on that day.

“The national planning we will have seen from Operation Yellowhammer suspects there may be some tension six months after we leave, and we are working intensively through the council with partners to get ready for October 31.

“We have been getting information from partners about what they are seeing around hate crime and hate incidents and that’s in response to the partnership saying it wants to keep an eye on this throughout the year.

“To date we are not seeing a significant increase in hate incidents.

“We are seeing some increase in verbal altercations, primarily along the ‘Go back home’ route.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged to take the UK out of the EU on October 31, although an agreement has not yet been reached and he faces major obstacles in the House of Commons.

In March this year, a planned pro-Brexit go-slow protest on the M4 and M5 fizzled out.

Brexiteers announced they would drive slowly and form a blockade at rush hour, moving along the M5 past Bristol to Clevedon in North Somerset and then along the M4 to Bath.

Yet there was no disruption to Bristol traffic and only a small amount in Devon, Cornwall and Exeter.