Sidmouth Regatta 2020, one of the town’s biggest calendar dates, has been cancelled.

Organisers Oliver Salter and Keith Knight expressed their wishes to step down at last year’s event and despite talking to many people, no one stepped forward to take on the role.

Mr Salter said: “Since now is the time to commit to ordering fireworks, booking the band, applying for road closures and more importantly raising money etc, we feel that with the uncertainty regarding the Covid-19 virus and the possibility of large gatherings being an issue for the foreseeable future and the lack of an organising bod,y we feel it is appropriate that the 2020 regatta is cancelled.

“Certainly Keith and I would not be comfortable in asking businesses for support and committing money at this difficult time.

“We have both been involved in organising the regatta along with Adele who has organised the children’s events for the past 30 years and we would hope that a new committee could be formed to organise the event for a relaunch in 2021.”