WADDINGTON Scarecrow Festival has been scrapped due to health and safety restrictions and mounting costs.

The highlight of the Ribble Valley calendar has been running for 10 years and has grown in visitor numbers over the past five years, attracting up to 9,000 people over the three-day weekend in May.

But organisers said they were no longer able to meet the costs of health and safety now the event had reached such large proportions.

They said officials had told them they needed to draft in a traffic management company to close village roads at a cost of almost £3,000.

The roads have previously been cordoned off by volunteers and members of St Helen’s Village Church social committee.

The Rev John Brocklehurst, vicar of St Helen’s, and head of the church’s social committee, said: “Since the event is run by a charity we cannot pay the costs.

“The burden of meeting health and safety requirements is getting heavier and heavier every year and it is one area where the council could have been more helpful.”

The festival saw residents across the village displaying weird and wonderful creations.

Other events over the weekend included the crowning of a May queen, a funfair, duck races, a home-made boat race and a farmers’ market.

Mr Brocklehurst added: “It is so sad to see such a wonderful event go because so many people enjoy it, and enjoy taking part in it.

“We have seen an amazing amount of hard work and creativity from locals and I feel gutted, but also relieved our wonderful volunteers will not be put under what was becoming horrendous pressure.

“An event this big needs serious help from outside if it’s going to continue to benefit the local tourist economy as it has done so significantly in the past.”