A couple have issued a ‘desperate’ plea for help to save the family friendly music festivals they run at their farm which attract thousands of people to west Dorset each year.

Charlie Harris and Abi Charlesworth run a host of successful music festivals at Bredy Farm.

They have been served an abatement notice by West Dorset District Council which, they say, is ‘without justification.’

They now fear for the future of events at the farm and say they are at risk.

A petition calling on WDDC to rethink its decision has attracted more than 600 of the 1,000 signatures needed in just a few days.

Abi said: “We have been considered to be a statutory nuisance. When you compare us to the likes of Glastonbury, Bestival and Boomtown, which are not only a considerable deal larger than us but also play music until the early hours of the morning, you wonder how this could be possible.

“Despite having statements from several residents explaining that the music could not be heard within their houses, or after the hours that our licencing ended as well as a history of the village petitioning and campaigning to get any novel enterprises that bring life to the village shut down, environmental health has, for one reason or another, without justification, bowed to their actions.”

“The village is renowned for not accepting change and we believe the reason there was such a barrage of complaints that came in specifically for Bredy Farm after the event had taken place is because the main complainants had sent letters to residents to complain about the ‘noise coming from events at Bredy Farm’, rather than encouraging people to complain about ‘noise over the weekend’, which should have initiated an investigation as to where the noise was coming from rather than immediately serving us an abatement notice.”

Events at Bredy Farm include Camping Be Cider Seaside and SouthCider Festival and the site holds around 500 people. Abi and Charlie pride themselves on offering family friendly weekend music events which take place on nine days of the year, the most recent of which was held in June.

Abi said: “We have worked incredibly hard throughout the years to make the events here at Bredy Farm a success. Although not our sole professions - Charlie runs the day to day jobs on the farm and I am a veterinary surgeon - we have put our hearts, minds, lives and souls into them to make them incredibly special for everyone and anyone who attends, whether it be their first ever music festival, or they are a lifelong festival goer, and as result we have all of wonderful, friendly and loyal supporters to show for it.

“Each year we donate to a good cause, and this year we were hoping to donate a sum of money towards helping the homeless in the local area, either through shelters, food sources or clothing banks.”

Cllr Alan Thacker, WDDC portfolio holder for community safety and access, said: “Local Authorities have a duty, under the Environmental Protection Act, to take enforcement action where a Statutory Nuisance is deemed to exist, or likely to occur or recur.

“In the case of Bredy Farm, complaints had been received in relation to previous events on the site, and the council offered advice to the organisers to prevent a future nuisance arising. Unfortunately we have since received further complaints from local residents following a recent event at Bredy Farm. We are unable to comment further as it is an ongoing case.”

But Abi and Charlie are determined to keep the festivals going.

Abi said: “This is a desperate plea for help, for the sake of not only our livelihoods and our passion, but for the young local people we employ, the musicians we support, the enjoyment of a hundreds to thousands of our loyal supporters, what they bring to the local economy, and the fear of Burton Bradstock being allowed to become truly Jurassic by nature.”

To sign the petition 'Save the Music Festivals at Bredy Farm', visit 38degrees.org.uk and search 'Bredy Farm'.