THIS weekend's Godiva Festival in Coventry has been cancelled.

Organisers of the event, which was to feature a line-up of acts including Echo And The Bunnymen, Cast and Space, have this morning announced the "devastating weather" and heavy rain had finally beaten them.

City Council deputy leader George Duggins explained why he took the difficult decision to cancel the Godiva Festival at the eleventh hour this morning - with council leader John Mutton out of the city attending a local government conference.

Coun Duggins said there had been concerns among staff and organisers since Wednesday about conditions on the ground, due to this week’s rain.

He said he visited the War Memorial Park on Thursday, when organisers reported they were falling behind with work due to the weather.

Consideration was made as to whether cancellation should be announced at 6pm yesterday evening (Thursday), after the day’s freak storms.

But Coun Duggins said it was decided to hope for a dry night instead, despite weather forecasts for further rain.

He visited the site again this morning, when the advice from council officers and seasoned events organisers helping to stage the event was that it was "just not doable".

Pressed to explain further the council’s statement that parts of the park were "dangerously boggy", Coun Duggins said the danger was more to do with the risk of falls, than any problem with electrics or the safety of stages or tents.

He said the Godiva Festival had a "different audience" to events such as the Glastonbury Festival, which have been famed for extremely muddy and sludgy conditions over many years.