Festival organisers face locals

More than 15,000 people are expected to attend the event

Organisers of a gathering dubbed the alternative Glastonbury are trying to allay fears of people living nearby.

Organisers of the Lost Weekend at Powderham Castle in Devon, answered questions at a public meeting at Kenton on Friday night.

More than 15,000 people are expected to attend the music festival, which local residents fear may be noisy and cause traffic problems.

Organisers say the music will end at 0230 BST.

Environmental health officers from Teignbridge District Council will be monitoring sound levels throughout the event.

I think a number of people would have gone away better informed Councillor Alan Connett

Clare Crawshaw, general manager at Powderham Castle, said: "We will stagger the closing times so that as you get near 2.30 it should be a lot quieter.

"The noise level will drop from 12 o'clock to nothing at 2,30," she said.

Councillor Alan Connett, who organised the meeting in Kenton village hall, said it was not unreasonable for people in the close-knit community who lived close to the event to wonder if they were going to be kept awake at night by music.

But he added that much planning and co-operation had already gone into allaying residents' fears, including plans to set up a temporary police station and carry out night-time patrols in the village.

He said after the meeting: "Environmental health officers talked about special arrangements about monitoring sound and how noise will be phased down from midnight onwards.

"I think a number of people would have gone away better informed and satisfied that there has been good and careful planning."

Organisers of the event have also set up a mobile phone number for local people to call during the festival should they have any concerns. The number is 07891 091903.