A TOWN’S packed calendar of community festivals is under threat because volunteers are being abused by members of the public.

Festival organiser Peter Winston told members of Ulverston Town Council that many stewards had told him they were not prepared to volunteer again after being con-fronted by the public while helping out.

In a report to the council about the recent Dickensian Festival - which was generally a good natured event with visitors converging on the town from all over the country – Mr Winston wrote: “Regrettably, at times, over the weekend some committee memb-ers received objections from Ulverston businesses about stalls near to their premises, irrespective of the numbers of visitors freq-uenting their business.

“Others strongly objected to not being able to drive through the town to shop or park outside their homes.

“These objections, some forceful, are becoming more frequent and could put the festivals at risk of ending with significant losses to the shops and other businesses in Ulverston.”

Speaking at the meeting, Mr Winston hit out at motorists who ignored ‘road closure’ signs and said that during the lantern proc-ession in September a car entered the parade and drove around the parade for 20 minutes. Mr Winston said that when he confronted the motorist he told him that he had been in a rush to get home.

“People just refuse to accept the roads are closed,” he said.

“One lady was seen getting out of her car to remove the ‘road closed’ sign, so she could go through. That attitude is increasing among people.”

Mr Winston said it was ‘looking inevitable’ that in January the police would start charging for their time.

He warned that Ulverston Carnival, which takes place every summer, would take the biggest hit if this happened as 90 per cent of the event’s budget was made up of policing costs.

The town council agreed to look at the issue at its next meeting in January.

Nobody was available for comment from Cumbria Police.