THIS year’s Pershore River Festival has been cancelled after only launching for the first time a year ago.

The event was set to take place on Saturday with entertainment on King George’s Field and along the Avon, but organisers say it has been postponed and will be re-launched next year.

It is thought there was not enough man power to hold the event this year but many people have been caught unawares by news of the cancellation.

A notice on the event website said: “Due to the problems of flooding and rain in 2012 the committee has decided to spend 2013 putting together ideas and funds for another great river festival, hopefully in 2014, effectively re-launching this event.”

Alex Mellor, of the Riverside Centre Youth Centre which was involved in last year’s festival, said there was every intention to hold it next year.

“After the success of this year’s Evesham and Stratford river festivals the plan is to run one next year. Meetings and planning will start in September to make sure there’s a great event in Pershore next year, and the centre will be involved,” he said.