THE Moretonhampstead Festival of Food and Drink, due to take place on March 8, has been cancelled.

The heavy rain has made the fields used for the festival parking both unusuable and unsafe for visitors and exhibitors.

In a statement, the festival's organising committee said: 'The decision to cancel the festival has not been taken lightly.

'With five years of huge success behind us, having grown the festival into one of the South West's most popular, well organised and well attended festivals, we are only too well aware of the importance of the festival to producers who look forward to the event to kick-start their season after the long winter.

'We have a duty of care for all attendees — exhibitors, visitors and volunteers — their safety and well-being are of paramount importance to us. We have explored a number of possible alternative sites for parking but unfortunately there is no workable solution in the local area.'

The committee has decided to act early to give exhibitors a chance to find another outlet for their products and to give producers good warning so that specific production in readiness for the Moretonhampstead Festival can be avoided.

Organisers are aiming to return all booking fees to exhibitors.