Alderney Week 2021 cancelled due to Covid cases

Alderney's annual festival has been cancelled as the island experiences the direct impact of the pandemic for the first time.

Organisers said the "heart-breaking decision had to be made in view of the island's unexpected surge of Covid-19 infections and isolations".

Before Friday the island had only had one confirmed case of Covid-19, but the outbreak is responsible for 26 cases.

Alderney's biggest annual festival had been due to run from 2-7 August.

Other related events - including the Miss Alderney Disco and the Little Miss and Master Children's party on Saturday - have also been cancelled.

A statement from organisers said "this decision was not taken lightly" and followed a number of discussions with health authorities.

They said: "A number of event organisers and volunteers took the decision to pull out of the programme. The current 'isolation' situation is and may continue to cause shortages of our many helpers and volunteers that are crucial to the week."

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