WESTBURY’S Village Pump Festival will be taking a hiatus next year due to a decline in ticket sales at this year’s event.

The festival’s director, John Alderslade, has made the decision due to the festival falling short by 500 in ticket sales and a dwindling team of volunteers.

He said: “We simply can’t afford to do it again next year, it’s a shame but we have to be realistic.

“The 500 extra tickets we failed to sell amounts to a lot of money and makes a huge difference.

“The problem was worsened by the fact we didn’t have enough people to run it. Lots of organisers from the past have stepped down.

“We’ll have a year off next year and see what happens after that. It depends on whether or not more people come forward to help out and keep the festival running.”

This year, the festival welcomed the likes of The Proclaimers, Ferocious Dog, Neville Staples and many more to the White Horse Country Park.

It first ran in 1974, when tickets were just £2.50, and has spanned three different locations since then.

The Folk Club in Trowbridge will be unaffected.