ORGANISERS are devastated after having to pull the plug on an all-day music festival in Melksham supporting several local children’s charities.

Melksham Live, on June 25 was to have 30 artists over two stages and an ambition to sell 4,000 tickets.

Organiser Raymond Coe had to cancel the event, which he had hoped would raise thousands for local children’s charities and mark the 75th anniversary of the Air Cadets, after major delays in organisation and a lack of ticket sales. With two months to go, just 100 tickets have been sold.

Mr Coe, of Barnes Wallis Close, Bowerhill, said: “It is with a huge amount of regret that we have to announce the cancellation of this year’s Melksham Live.

“We were good to go and although we were confident that we could do it, unless you can guarantee you get sponsorship and ticket sales you cannot go forward.

“The whole point of holding a charity event is to raise money so we have decided to hold it off until next year.

“We have faced major delays, outside of the organising committee’s control, in setting up the basic infrastructure needed to enable sponsorship to be received and online ticket sales to be established.

“Although confident that we could have secured the sponsorship necessary, it left us currently unable to give watertight financial assurances to our supporting charity trustees.”

Former Melksham Air Cadet flight commander Mr Coe, 44, wanted Melksham Live to raise funds for Wiltshire Mind, SPLITZ, Spurgeons, Jamie’s Farm and the Melksham Disabled Football Team.

He added: “We have been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm shown for this event. The dual aims of raising money for local children’s charities and showcasing the wealth of Melksham’s music talent have received warm and generous support from many people.

“We wish to thank all the acts who agreed to perform for free, all the businesses and individuals who had already promised their backing, and all the people who had already worked so hard to make this event a reality.

“It was set to be a very big day and would have been brilliant for the town but it is just a shame that this year we cannot do it.

“Next year it will be back and ticket sales will probably start in December this year.”

Anyone interested in sponsoring the event should get in contact with the organisers on melkshamlive@hotmail.com.