Town carnival cancelled over football clash

Romsey Summer Carnival is held annually and run by volunteers

A town carnival has been cancelled following a clash with an England football game.

Organisers of Romsey Summer Carnival in Hampshire, which would have taken place on Saturday afternoon, took to social media to apologise for the "disappointing" news.

Scheduled to start at 17:00 BST, the event would have coincided with England's Euro 2024 quarter-final match with Switzerland.

Held since the early 1900s, it is thought to be the first time the procession has ever been cancelled.

The carnival fills the streets of Romsey with music and colour

Co-organiser Alan Giles said it had been a "difficult decision" given the amount of hard work that had already gone into the event.

"Due in large part to the clash with the England game on Saturday we had to re-evaluate the events and the health and safety concerns that have arisen," he said.

The carnival relies on volunteers to marshal the event, along with first-aid cover to ensure everyone remains safe.

"With England qualifying to the next round, this level of help became unachievable," Mr Giles went on.

"We could not reschedule or bring the event forward earlier in the day due primarily to road closures that had already been applied for and there would not have been time to reapply."

The procession would have started at Romsey Industrial Estate on Greatbridge Road, with participating floats themed around books.

Other events, such as the Mayor's Picnic and Bed Race, will still go ahead as planned.