THE impact of the coronavirus grew over the weekend with a popular North Dorset music festival becoming the latest event to be postponed.

Teddy Rocks has been pushed back to September. The event in Blandford was due to draw big crowds in early May.

Tom Newton, festival director, said: “Our priority is keeping everyone safe! We need you to be ok, we need you to feel safe, and sadly that is something we feel we cannot deliver for everyone on our previously selected dates.

“The whole purpose of Teddy Rocks Festival is to support children fighting cancer. We are here for the vulnerable and it is paramount we keep them safe. We host a lot of children who are undergoing treatment for cancer to the event so they can escape and try to forget about their illness for that day. We feel it is very important to eliminate any risk to these children and vulnerable people that attend our event.”

Mr Newton said the past week had been “testing and emotionally draining”.

There are likely to be changes to the line-up, with updates posted online over the coming weeks and months.

"To say this week has been testing and emotionally draining would be an understatement," said Mr Newton. "We have been having conversations and meetings all day every day to decide on the right thing to do given the current situation.

"This festival started in a pub restaurant. We never imagined it would grow into what it has become. It is still the same people and same team of volunteers that we have had from the start. We are not a big company or business, and each year we run our event with the support of sponsors, volunteers and good will. If we do not get the support we need this year, it could well be the last.

"We need you to stand by us and keep Teddy Rocks Festival alive. All tickets will remain valid for the new dates. It is so important to our very existence that you keep hold of your tickets and be there with us in September. We cannot do this without you. To see 9 years of pain, and agonising commitment lost over night would be such a huge blow for so many people.

"We are working hard with all of our artists to do the best we can to keep our line up as it is, but naturally there may be some changes, at this stage we just do not know. Keep an eye out for artist updates via our social channels and website.

"Everyone here at Teddy Rocks loves you and hopes you stay safe. Be kind to one another and let’s beat this together."