VILLAGERS have voted in favour of extending a major summer festival which raises funds for BBC Children in Need.

As previously reported in The Gazette, the organisers of CarFest, held at Laverstoke Park Farm, were looking to generate more funds for charity by running the festival for an extra day, selling more tickets or holding a second event at the farm the following weekend, such as an opera concert, using the infrastructure from CarFest.

Brand Events, which organises the August bank holiday weekend festival, asked those who live close to the site which of the three options they preferred.

Overton Parish Council reported at its March meeting that neighbours of Laverstoke had supported option two – to sell an additional 1,000 camping tickets and 2,000 day tickets on the Saturday, and 2,000 extra day tickets for the Sunday.

If the plan is progressed, it would mean that Jody and Clare Scheckter, who own the farm, will need to apply to the borough council to change the licence to allow more people to attend. The current licence allows 20,000 people on the site each day.

Council chairman Councillor Tom Ridler said: “It might not be what people would really like but it’s the best option available.”

Cllr Brian Langer asked whether the council should inform Brand Events that it also supports the same option. Cllr Ridler said: “We should make that a very firm view.”