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With a huge amount of planning involved from booking artists to making sure the site is safe, organising a festival is far from easy.

In recent months alone Bristol has seen a number of nearby events called off for various reasons, including Camp Bestival being cut short due to bad weather, Bath’s Field Trip which was cancelled before it even began and of course Grillstock, which led to ugly ramifications after organisers called it off saying they 'ran out of time'.

While some cancellations can be seen coming, the plug has just been pulled on a Bristol dance music festival for a somewhat less predictable reason...

Another World was set to take place at a farm just outside of Bristol this weekend (August 3-5), and was set to be the city's only camping festival.

It promised big things in its inaugural year with a huge line-up featuring some true icons who were responsible for bringing their respective genres to a mainstream audience.

(Image: Copyright unknown)

But last night a statement on Another World’s Facebook page announced the event has been “postponed” due to, err, sheep poo.

Statement from organisers

The statement reads: “During our final site inspection as we began building the festival our H&S team informed us of the distressing presence of sheep faeces on all fields to be planned for use for Another World festival, and that in fact there are livestock still present.

“There is strict HSE guidance regarding sheep waste and the responsibility of the farm owner when allowing public to enter their property. Salmonella, Listeria and E.coli are pathogens that can be passed through sheep faeces as well as parasites, roundworms and tapeworms are also linked to fresh, faeces that has not degraded.

“These are very real dangers that cannot be ignored.”

A third failed venue

The festival had already seen a number of changes. It was initially due to be held at Brean Sands' Pontins but that fell through, and it was then set to take place at Cotswold Airport - with raves expected to take over Boeing planes.

When that also failed to work out organisers moved the festival to Washingpool Farm in Easter Compton, just on the outskirts of Bristol, where My Nu Leng held their secret warehouse rave earlier this year.

But now sheep poo has seen organisers pull the plug on the event completely.

'We are receiving death threats'

Speaking to Bristol Live today, chief organiser Lee Boyaka said: “This is the worst day of our lives. After being messed around by two venues and having to move the festival twice, to get this close to the event and be forced into postponing the event is the stuff of nightmares for us as event organisers.

“We are receiving death threats, our families addresses are being posted all across the Internet and our lives are genuinely in danger at the moment.

“We are genuine people and have given everything to make this event happen. We could not have done more to ensure the event took place, though be absolutely clear the event is not cancelled, we are rescheduling the event to summer 2019.”

(Image: Google)

Site manager says event could have gone ahead

While admitting there are some sheep droppings on the site, the site manager of Washingpool Farm, Colin Agius, told Bristol Live the event definitely could still have gone ahead without a hitch.

“Some sheep managed get on the site as they sometimes do and they did leave a few droppings, but we have 10 or 15 other fields here where there are no droppings whatsoever where the festival could have easily taken place instead," he said.

“In fact, I was even prepared to get a team out there to clear the droppings so it could have gone ahead, that wouldn’t have been a problem at all.

"I called the organisers around half a dozen times to let them know this but they didn't pick up. Then later on I got an email from them letting me know they'd pulled the plug altogether.

"To be honest I think the main problem for the organisers was the fact DJs were pulling out, not the presence of sheep droppings.

“It's hugely frustrating for us and of course for everyone who was planning to go. We have put a lot of time and effort into this and stand to lose a fair bit of money, not to mention we could easily have hosted another event this weekend. I just hope everyone who bought tickets gets refunded.”

2500 tickets sold

Mr Agius added around 2,500 tickets to the festival had been sold, despite organisers hoping to sell around 7,000. He also said the only sign of any infrastructure to arrive on site so far was some lighting.

His site held a successful event just five months ago when Bristol bass duo My Nu Leng chose it as the location of their secret rave, and other events have also run smoothly there over the years.

Another World's cancellation post on Facebook has so far attracted over 500 comments from disgruntled ticket holders who are now fearing that they will not get their hard earned money back.

Some people say they have spent hundreds of pounds on accommodation and travel, with some claiming they were coming over from as far as Holland and South Africa.

(Image: Copyright unknown)

Artists pulled out due to 'professional differences'

Mr Agius revealed a few DJs on the bill pulled out of the event in the days leading up to it, including 90s selector Ellis Dee who took to his Facebook to write: "Due to professional differences with the promoter, myself, Krome & Time and dj Twista will not be performing at the "ANOTHER WORLD" festival."

(Image: Copyright unknown)

Party-goers are now desperately searching for other plans to fill the void, including Chantelle Flemming, 32, from Essex, who is keeping her fingers crossed for a full refund.

She said: “It has been an absolute shambles from the start, to be honest.

“Me and a few friends were going to have a big reunion there and thought we’d push the boat out and get the VIP package for the event in March, but that was then postponed as this one has now been.

“Each time they cancel it it’s blatantly for no other reason other than the fact they haven’t sold enough tickets. Let's be honest, it's never going to happen no matter what they say.

“People have put a lot of time and money into coming to this event and the organisers are massively damaging the Fantazia brand, which has put successful raves on for decades.

"I'm not convinced it's going to be easy getting my money back but I'm going to hassle them until they refund me, and I suggest others do the same."

Traders out of pocket

Numerous traders who had signed up to pitches at the festival are now also out of pocket, including the owner of a sweet stall Matthew James.

He said: "As of yet I haven't even had an email to tell me it's cancelled and after hiring a van this morning I've now found out I've wasted my money when I could have been told last night that it was cancelled - annoyed doesn't quite cover it.

"What festival starting on a Friday with traders turning up on a Wednesday hasn't set up by then? They normally would have been on site by Saturday evening at the latest with fencing around the site, as well as bars and portaloos for those there."

Refund Information

This is what organisers have said about refunds

Have you been affected by this? Email robin.murray@reachplc.com to let us know