AN ESSEX rock festival for which nearly 17,000 tickets had been sold has been cancelled – days before it was due to begin.

More than 70 bands, headed by Bez from the Happy Mondays, had been advertised as for the Essex Family Festival at Steeple, near Bradwell-on-Sea, over the bank holiday weekend.

Festival organiser Chris Sussex claims he was forced to pull the plug after learning the site lacked the necessary licences.

The festival was advertised as taking place on Steeple Bay Caravan Park, but the site owner, Park Holidays UK, claims it knew nothing about Mr Sussex’s plans.

A message at the festival website address, simply states the event has been cancelled and promises ticketholders will be given a full refund within 21 days.

Mr Sussex said: “I am devastated by this news.”

Park Holidays UK director Tony Clish urged ticketholders to stay away and added: “This type of event would be completely inconsistent with our family-focused policies.”