A HUGELY popular annual countryside event, due to take place in the Ragley Estate next year, has been cancelled after a 58-year run.

The CLA Game Fair, hosted by the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), has been called off after it failed to generate enough income in each of the last three years.

Next year’s fair, which was expected to attract around 150,000 visitors, would have been the third time Ragley Hall played host.

Although the event, known as a celebration of rural sports and high quality foods, will not be run by CLA in its current form, members of the group are welcoming proposals from other organisation on how the event may be able to continue.

Helen Woolley, director general of the CLA, said: "The Game Fair is an important and well loved event with a long tradition. It is a difficult decision that we deeply regret having to take.

"We are extremely proud of the game fairs that we have put on in recent years and we are grateful to our game fair team that has delivered these high quality, professional, events.

"Unfortunately, an increasingly crowded summer calendar of outdoor events has contributed to falling attendance."

The CLA will refund any tickets purchased for the CLA Game Fair 2016. More information about how to get a refund will be available over the next few days.