Lytham Festival organisers in extra transport plea

The Pet Shop Boys are headlining the 2026 Lytham Festival on 4 July

The co-founder of Lytham Festival is calling extra rail services on the last day of next year's event.

Peter Taylor wants Northern to add a later train from Lytham to Preston on 5 July, saying not having a last train was "the fly in the ointment" for the five-day festival, which started in 2009.

Northern said in some cases it looked to provide additional services and carriages for major events although it added "running extra services on the South Fylde route is challenging as it is a single-line track".

The Pet Shop Boys and the American singer and Grammy nominee Teddy Swims have been announced as headline acts for the event.

Last year, extra buses were put on for people attending the festival, on Lytham Green.

Mr Taylor told BBC Radio Lancashire: "If somebody could help get Northern to agree to put on a train on Sunday night – that's still the fly in the ointment that we don't have a last train back to Preston after the festival on a Sunday."

A Northern spokesperson said: "We have a limited number of carriages and traincrew, who are needed to run over 2,600 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England."

Northern said running extra services on the South Fylde route is challenging as it is a single-line track

Campaigners have been fighting for more investment on the South Fylde rail route, which runs from Blackpool South to Preston.

The annual open-air music event, which will be held between 1-5 July next year, attracts more than 100,000 people to Lytham.

Fans can access the festival's pre-sale tickets from 17:00 BST while general sale tickets are available at 10:00 on Saturday.