Fear of travellers moving onto a farmer's field forced a local hospice to cancel its fundraising day at the last minute, leaving the charity thousands of pounds out of pocket.
The St Clare's Hospice Summer Fete was due to take place this weekend but a local farmer who allows his field to be used for car parking was warned by police that there was a "significant risk" of caravans setting up on his field without permission.
A spokesman for the hospice said: "For many years a neighbouring farmer has most generously allowed visitors to the fete to use his field for parking. However, on Saturday evening he became aware of a significant risk of caravans being brought onto his field. Following discussions with the police on Sunday morning and acting on their advice, he quite properly and reluctantly secured the field to prevent this happening."
The hospice in Hastingwood Road, Hastingwood, looks after the families of patients with life-threatening illnesses costs around £1.1million a year to run, most of which must be raised through fundraisers.
Hospice Chief Executive Brian Hilton said: "Our neighbour is a wonderful supporter of St Clare and we know he will have made the decision with a heavy heart. We are sad that so many of the public, who year by year come to our fete and generously support the hospice, were unable to do so.
We can only apologise to the various stallholders, entertainers, volunteers and above all the general public who were so disappointed.
To make a donation to the hospice call 01279 413590.
Published Friday, August 1, 2003
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