Rock show axed over police fears

Gerard Tobin was shot dead last August

Organisers of a Derbyshire rock music festival have withdrawn their application for a licence amid fears of violence after a biker's death.

The Custom Rock and Blues Festival was scheduled to take place at Catton Hall in south Derbyshire in August.

But police feared some people may have used it for "high-profile" retaliation over the death of Hells Angel Motorcycle Club member Gerard Tobin.

The 35-year-old from south London was shot dead on the M40 last August.

'Significant opportunity'

Police objected to the four-day event because they said there was an unacceptable risk to local people and the event's 15,000 visitors.

Intelligence suggested a clash between rival biker gangs over the death of Mr Tobin who was shot dead leaving a bikers' festival on the M40 in south Warwickshire.

Seven men are currently awaiting trial for Mr Tobin's murder.

Police said the organisers had made a sensible and pragmatic decision to call off the event.

In a statement, events organisers One Percent Entertainments Limited said: "We have not received threats of any kind about this event.

"However, we have a duty to customers, employees and the general public to take very seriously any representations made by the police based on intelligence which they have, no matter how sensationalised we believe it to have been..."

The stage line-up included Glenn Hughes and Friends, Molly Hatchet, Fastway, GMT, Blackfoot, Magnum, Hanoi Rocks and Budgie.