THE man behind ambitious plans for the aborted Severn Revels arts festival on a site at Westbury-on-Severn has made an appeal for cooperation to make a success of the next one.

No site had been earmarked for next year's family-based event, said Peter Jowers, but he was confident that the goodwill existed for a popular and worthwhile celebration which would be welcomed by everyone.

"We had such a lot of support for what we were doing from the local community in general, the parish council and the farmers whose land we were going to use," he said.

"I think a few people got the wrong end of the stick and had the bit between their teeth but it was very much a minority."

It was important to learn from the process and make sure next year's festival was a big success, and that meant involving everyone in the consultations from the start.

They would start with an application for a public entertainment licence and were searching for a site which could become "fixed" for future events.

In an earlier press release following his announcement that the festival had been cancelled Mr Jowers said he felt "deliberately excluded" from what should have been a process of joint consultation.

However he had to take observations on public safety seriously and the costs projected for fencing, policing and vehicle access would have doubled ticket prices.

The festival was non-profit making and was designed to share and display local talents.

"Our greatest sorrow is in not being able to share what was shaping up to be a rather beautiful family festival.

"The numerous talented local musicians and artists as well as craftspeople, poets, comedians, performers and speakers who had been booked will be sorely missed."