Black Country Festival cancelled due to coronavirus
A popular festival which celebrates the Black Country's history and culture has been cancelled due to coronavirus.
Organisers of the Black Country Festival have cancelled the event - scheduled to take place this summer - on health and safety grounds over Covid-19.
The main festival was set to run from June 27 until July 12.
The event attracts thousands of people each year and has grown in popularity since it first launched in 2014.
Organisers say the decision was taken "with a heavy heart".
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A spokesman for the festival's committee said: "Since it’s inception in 2014, the Black Country Festival has grown as a vehicle for bringing the communities of the Black Country together.
"So, although with a heavy heart, it is in that spirit that we have decided to cancel this year’s festival activities to do our bit and help protect the people within our community from Covid-19.
"The festival committee team would first and foremost like to thank our doctors, nurses and social care workers that are leading our community in the fight against this virus.
"Our decision was made very much in the spirit of asking ourselves 'how best can we help and support them?'
"Also, we would like to record our huge appreciation to all the organisers of the events that make up the Black Country Festival.
"These are the guys that put in hundreds of unpaid hours throughout the year co-coordinating and preparing events, for the love of their communities.
Difficult
"So our decision and indeed for those organisers who have already taken this decision it has been a very difficult one to make.
"To those organisers, please know that we will continue to be here for you and will do everything we can to support you."
However, plans are in the pipeline to mark Black Country Day, which falls on July 14 each year.
Organisers are yet to confirm what the plans are but they are keen to commemorate the day in some way, despite the coronavirus outbreak.
The cancellation of the festival events will come as sad news to many, who look forward to attending them each year.
Among the line-up this year was: Gornal Fun Day [June 27]; Halesowen Carnival [July 4]; Coseley Big Local Black Country Festival [July 4]; Stourbridge Carnival [July 4]; Black Country Fun Run [July 5]; Dudley Black Country Festival [July 11]; Musicom Festival at Himley Hall and Park [July 11 and 12]; Cradley Heath Chainmakers' Festival; and Brier Fair in Brierley Hill [on September 12].
