Storm cancels dog festival for second time

The Halloween-themed event had been due to take place this weekend

A Halloween-themed dog festival has been cancelled for a second time, due to windy conditions forecast as part of Storm Amy.

DogFest, at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, had been due to take place across Saturday and Sunday at the Unesco World Heritage Site.

But on Friday, organisers said the event could no longer take place with high winds expected as part of the season's first storm.

The festival had initially been scheduled to take place in July but soaring temperatures saw it postponed until October.

Organisers said they were "devastated" to cancel the event.

"Our team has poured their hearts into preparing this event, and it's heartbreaking not to be able to welcome you, your dogs, and our incredible exhibitors and sponsors," they said.

"However, the safety of our visitors, staff, and four-legged friends must always come first - and the current conditions on site make it unsafe to proceed."

According to the Met Office, winds are expected to reach up to 55mph (89km/h) across the UK over Friday and into the weekend.

DogFest organisers said all ticket holders had been contacted but asked for people to "please bear with us as we prioritise the safety of our on-site crew working to break down the show in difficult conditions".

"We truly appreciate your patience and understanding," they said.

"Thank you for your continued support - we can't wait to see you at a future DogFest in 2026."