A COMEBACK that scarce few would have thought possible has been achieved as the Trowbridge Pump Festival will return to its spiritual home in Stowford next year.

The legendary folk festival looked dead and buried when former festival director John Alderslade announced after last year’s event that it had been placed into voluntary liquidation because of falling ticket sales and a volunteer shortage.

However, a group of loyal Village Pump enthusiasts formed a new committee and last weekend they successfully managed to put on a downsized festival at the White Horse Country Park in Westbury.

And thanks to fundraising efforts and careful planning, Stowford Manor Farm will once again host the Village Pump after six years away at Westbury.

Darren Field, marketing manager for the Priming the Pump event, said: “I am delighted to confirm that it is official, next year the Village Pump will return to its spiritual home in Stowford.

“It feels fantastic to say that our team of dedicated helpers and volunteers have saved the Pump. It is wonderful that we can get it back to where it belongs. When the festival went into liquidation last year, a scarce few would have believed it could make a comeback.

“But our team and so many others just could not let this die.

“Although it was in the programme notes that this would happen, when we announced it on the tannoy that it would be back, there was a huge cheer.

“There will be 500 tickets on sale next year and it will run from July 20-22. I for one cannot wait. I am sure it will be a cracker.”

The Pump first ran in 1974 and tickets then were just £2.50.