FOR more than 30 years it has been the highlight of bank holiday festivities in a New Forest village.

Every August thousands of Brockenhurst residents and visitors have lined the streets to watch a colourful collection of floats make their way through the parish.

But next Monday the narrow roads will be unusually quiet for an August bank holiday.

The hugely popular event is not going ahead this year because of major building work at Brockenhurst College, which hosts some of the celebrations.

One New Forest website is mistakenly claiming that the carnival will take place on Sunday.

But Martin Ward of Lymington and Brockenhurst Lions Club, which stages the annual crowd-pleaser, confirmed that the charity had pulled the plug.

He said: “We’ve known for some time that we wouldn’t be able to hold the carnival fete at the college.

“They have been extremely good to us over the years but they have got to develop and can’t be expected to work around us.

“We tried to find an alternative venue but eventually decided not to hold the carnival this year. It’s been going for a long time so it’s very disappointing.”

The eagerly-awaited event raises thousands of pounds for charity and traders also benefit from the annual influx of visitors to the village.

Brockenhurst resident Mike Turner added: “It's a great pity. The carnival is popular with locals and very popular with holidaymakers staying at local campsites."

Former parish councillor Russell Horne added: “It brings people together so it’s very good from that point of view.

“Floats make their way to the level crossing and then travel along the main road to the college, where there are usually lots of stalls.

“The possibility of not holding the carnival this year was mooted a while back and then confirmed a little later. It’s very sad.”

The fete is normally held on a sports field at the back of the college.

But work on a new STEM building for teenagers studying maths, science and technology subjects has made access difficult, preventing it from going ahead.

College principal Di Roberts said: “We had hoped it could take place on the front lawn, where we have run many events. However, the organisers felt the area was not quite big enough for their needs.

“We are hopeful we can work with the Lions to hold the fete again in the future.”

The carnival was first staged in 1914 and revived in the 1970s. Villagers say it was held in the spring before being switched to the August bank holiday in the 1980s.