RESIDENTS have hit out after a council-organised event was cancelled at the last minute.

Families heading to Habberley Valley to attend the Wyre District Council organised Victorian Fayre on Sunday (October 16) turned up to find the event had been cancelled without warning.

The event was due to take place between 11am and 2pm, with activities including swing boats, hook-a-duck, donkey rides, storytelling and a puppet show.

A council spokesman said the event had been cancelled on Sunday morning due to poor weather forecast and apologised to residents who did not get messages to say it had been cancelled.

Paul Korobejko, who headed to the Valley to attend the event, said: “What happened?

“This was advertised around the local area – I have to say in a half-hearted way with small signs on posts – but on the day there was nothing happening.

“There was supposed to be old style swinging boats and donkey rides.

“Families were turning up, looking somewhat confused and disappointed by the lack of activity, having obviously organised their day to support this event.”

Mr Korobejko added: “As a regular visitor to the Valley, I arranged to walk my dogs later than usual to take this event in, thinking that I would like to support the effort being made, but clearly there was a total lack of effort.

“The event was poorly advertised and therefore was never likely to be very successful - but if it was known to be cancelled why were the signs not taken down, marked as cancelled or broadcast on local radio, rather than waste the time of so many people?”

A council spokesman said: “We are sorry that we had to cancel the Victorian Fayre in Habberley Valley.

“When the team arrived to set up on Sunday the weather was torrential and the heavy rain was forecast to continue until the fayre was almost due to finish.

“Given all the information we were presented with at that point, the decision was made to cancel the event.

“Efforts were made to let people know. We put a poster up at the site, we had staff at Habberley Valley and the park and ride points, and we posted on social media.

“We are sorry if people did not get the messages.”