THE team at Arreton Barns has made the decision to cancel this year's Sweetcorn Fayre in light of current government guidelines and the ongoing unsettled climate.

Jane Gibbs, owner of Arreton Barns, said: "There is so much planning that goes on throughout the year from a dedicated team, and the decision to cancel the Sweetcorn Fayre was not an easy one.

"We thought about ways of adjusting the event to make it safe, but it was not viable, especially from a health and safety perspective. We must always put the safety of our visitors and staff first.”

This is only the second time in the Sweetcorn Fayre’s 13-year history that it has been cancelled.

The 2019 instalment was called off as a result of heavy rainfall, causing fields for onsite parking at Arreton Barns to suffer waterlogging and become unusable.

Tony Wake of Beaulieu Respite said: “We are saddened to have to cancel this year's Sweetcorn Fayre, but the safety of everyone is paramount.

"The decision was a tough one to take as it is the charities that ultimately suffer. However, I want to continue to thank Jane and Andrew Gibbs for many years of amazing support for ourselves and so many other local charities."

Over the years, the Gibbs family has raised more than £250,000 for local charities, and aims to boost this total next year with the return of the Sweetcorn Fayre on 25 and 26 September.