Lechlade Festival, due to be headlined by ex-Spandau Ballet frontman Tony Hadley, has been cancelled at the last minute.

The popular three-day festival had been set to take place at Riverside Park, just north of Swindon in Lechlade, from May 26 to 28.

80s heartthrob Hadley had been announced as this year’s headliner, alongside 90s pop band D:REAM, while over 100 acts were ready to perform over five stages.

But with just a fortnight to go before the first acts took to the stage, bad weather has poured cold water over the plans.

Organisers announced that this year’s event will be cancelled because the festival site is too wet, and the ground has become too soft.

A spokesperson said: “We regretfully must announce that due to circumstances beyond our control, a decision has been made to cancel this year’s Lechlade Festival.

“We have been advised that the festival site is too wet and the ground too soft to allow for a safe event.

“With further heavy rain forecast, there is already a great deal of standing water in many places and the ground beneath is very soft, with high groundwater levels.

“At this stage, the site will not dry and recover in time to accommodate the festival infrastructure and vehicles.”

Lechlade Festival had been running since 2011 and is a not-for-profit event organised by volunteers.

The 2023 edition of the event would have been the festival’s eleventh outing.

But the losses incurred by the cancellation has forced organisers to enter the company into liquidation.

Festival bosses said they were "utterly devastated" by the news.

A spokesperson added: “The team was poised to deliver another fabulous festival and we are beyond words at having to let down our festival goers, performers, traders, suppliers and supporters. We have explored all options, and if there was any other way, we would have found a solution.

“The outcome is that Lechlade Festival Limited cannot sustain the losses incurred by cancellation. We have therefore, and with a very heavy heart, made the difficult decision to commence proceedings to place the company into liquidation.

“Our small team have worked tirelessly for many years to build the festival. The core team is largely voluntary, supplemented by a team of very loyal supporters who give their time to help deliver this wonderful event.”

Ticket holders should contact Swindon-based insolvency advisors Monahans or get in touch with their credit or debit card providers to seek refunds.