FAMILIES have been left disappointed after a festival was cancelled.

The Big Day Out was due to be held in Brighton’s Preston Park on June 30.

It was to feature a family friendly line-up of bands including Scouting For Girls, The Hoosiers and Union J, dance troupe Diversity and children’s TV favourites Mr Bloom and Peppa Pig.

However event organisers announced over the weekend the festival had been cancelled “due to unforseen circumstances”.

Matt Barringer, who had bought tickets, posted on Facebook: “Sad to hear the Big Day Out Festival in Brighton has been cancelled with no real explanation.

“Would be nice to have an explanation.”

Mr Barringer said he had been sent an email by ticket selling site Skiddle to inform him the event had been cancelled and that he would be refunded the price paid for his tickets including the booking fee.

Children’s theatre producer Julie Simmons-Collier said: “I am supposed to be providing an act for all three Big Day Out sites this year, but negotiations reached the point of contract and then they went completely silent and wouldn’t respond to any form of contact.

“From a professional point of view it felt a bit shoddy and disorganised behind the scenes.”

The cancellation is the latest in a long line of similar events being called off.

Last summer Together The People, also due to be held in Preston Park, was cancelled.

After two successful years attracting up to 8,000 people and headliners including Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys and Suede, the event was scrapped after failing to secure a headliner that could “do justice to the event and the city of Brighton”.

Festival organisers have to pay Brighton and Hove City Council to hold events in the city’s parks – with the money helping to provide funding for the city’s green spaces.

In 2001, Fatboy Slim held a giant free rave on the beach but when 250,000 people descended on the city the following year and a 25-year-old Australian nurse died, the event was cancelled for future years.

In 2009, the Beachdown festival planned for Devil’s Dyke collapsed at the 11th hour, leaving hundreds of angry ticket holders.

Shakedown festival was held at Stanmer Park from 2010 to 2013 – but sparked complaints from locals in 2013 about damage to the historic gardens and was then moved to Waterhall.

In January, the Wild Life Festival at Shoreham Airport announced that it would not be returning this year.