Festival cancelled because of ash cloud

A three-day Shropshire music festival has been cancelled two weeks before it was due to take place. Organisers Showtime Music said the move was down to the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud.

They said it meant they could not guarantee all of the acts could attend.

The event was due to take place over the Whit Sunday Bank Holiday weekend at the West Mid Showground in Shrewsbury.

Bands including Australian Pink Floyd, The Drifters, The Temptations and the National Symphony Orchestra were due to perform.

Today Matt Davies, one of the business partners behind the show, said they had decided to cancel the event despite selling thousands of tickets.

He said: "If we went ahead with the event and the ash cloud struck some bands wouldn't be able to attend.

"We've put a notice on our website so people can be refunded.

"We can't take the risk with the ash cloud because we didn't say on the tickets the line-up could change so if it did people would force us to give them their money back."

Visitors to the Showtime Music website were today met with the message: "Important announcement. The event at the West Mid Showground on May 28 to 30, 2010 is now cancelled.

"All refunds shall be paid in full. For further information please telephone 0333 1234 234."