Lyme Regis Fossil Festival cancelled over funding issues

It is hoped the event could be staged again next year

An annual festival celebrating Dorset's Jurassic Coast has been cancelled with organisers blaming a lack of funding.

Lyme Regis Fossil Festival attracts thousands of visitors to geology and palaeontology events over a spring weekend.

In a statement, the Lyme Regis Development Trust said it was "financially exposed" in the current economic climate.

It said it hoped the event could be staged in 2024.

The free festival was last held in April after being cancelled for two years because of the pandemic.

'Difficult decision'

It began in 2005 and has featured visits from Natural History Museum and British Antarctic Survey scientists, as well as running a programmes of fossil hunting walks, activities and talks.

In a statement, the trust said it had taken the "difficult decision" not to proceed with this year's event.

"The lack of response from the many public and charitable organisations that have funded us in the past leaves our charity financially exposed and we cannot take the risk of adding very significantly to our current annual deficit.

"We, like the vast majority of smaller charities are currently operating at a loss as local government and central government funding is reduced. As I'm sure you will be aware, many funders are addressing crucial human need around fuel and food insecurity at present," it said.