THE people of Tiverton have been left deflated after the town's balloon festival was cancelled.

The announcement was made this week by the organisers of the Tiverton Balloon and Music Festival, Aerosaurus Balloons Ltd.

Arthur Street, of Aerosaurus, said "After five very successful years during which the Festival has entertained tens of thousands of visitors from all over the country and raised over £40,000 for local charities, groups and clubs, following a great deal of thought we have decided not to host a Festival in 2016.

"There are a variety of reasons, the main one being that we just felt we could not put in the time and resources that the festival required for its organisation in 2016.

"We have thoroughly enjoyed working with the staff and pupils of both Tiverton High School and Petroc College and would like to thank them, the balloon teams, traders, caterers, entertainers, sponsors, Tiverton Town Council and Mid Devon Council for their support in making the event possible."

The festival featured the hot air balloons taking of from Tiverton High School fields and then passing over the town and attracted people from all over the country.

John Vanderwolfe, Tiverton Town Council clerk, said: "It is disappointing. Anything where things are being taken away is disappointing.

"It may well be that somebody else steps in to replace it."

For the past three years, the Two Rivers Festival has been held in the four days leading up to the balloon festival.

It will now be held on the weekend from July 8 to 11.

Last year, 500 local school children performed an outdoor production of Disney's The Lion King Jr.

An officer for the Tiverton Co-operative Learning Partnership, who organise the Two Rivers Festival, said: "This will include another grand performance by our young people, as well as outdoor live music on the Saturday night and an afternoon outdoor visit by the Festival Players performing Shakespeare, all within the grounds of Tiverton High School.

"We even hope to persuade some balloons to visit the site, in order for the custom of the early morning and evening take offs to take place over the town."

For more information about the Two Rivers Festival, visit www.tclp.org.uk.