Organisers defend Victorian event

The Ilfracombe Victorian Celebration has been running for 22 years

Organisers of a festival in a Devon town defend it against website claims that it amounts to a "ridiculous spectacle".

More than 200 people have signed up to the website calling on Ilfracombe to stop its Victorian festival of the last 22 years.

The week-long festival includes fancy dress parades and marks the town's growth during Queen Victoria's reign.

Organiser Lin Harper said anything that increased tourism was "a good thing".

Ms Harper, who chairs the Ilfracombe Victorian Celebration, said: "Last week we had approximately 7,000 people watching and attending the events.

"While I can't claim that they were all in town specifically for the celebrations, we always see a rise in hotel and campsite bookings for the week the event is staged.

"I was surprised when I heard about the Facebook group as we work very hard to include all sections of the town in the organisation.

"However, I feel anything we do to increase interest and tourism in the town has got to be a good thing.

"We would love more people and high street traders to get involved and welcome any criticism which would help us improve the event.

"Therefore we hope some of those who joined the Facebook site will consider joining our committee to help plan next year's festivities."

The Facebook signatories speak of being "embarrassed" by the festival.

They describe themselves as the "silent majority in Ilfracombe that are embarrassed, ashamed and slightly freaked out by the event".

Postings on the site urge Ilfracombe to "get with the times" and rather than celebrating the past it should focus more on family and younger people-orientated events like music festivals instead of events which they claim are only of interest to a few "die-hards" in the town.