Glasto chief fears festival would be cancelled due to swine flu outbreak

LONDON - Glastonbury Festival founder Michael Eavis has expressed his fear that the famous festival could be cancelled this year due to the swine flu outbreak.

The Brit dairy farmer called a general meeting with worried organisers to discuss the prospect of cancelling the event amid fears of a pandemic.

And planners are concerned, that with the 28 confirmed swine flu cases in the UK, the Government may advise that the festival should not go ahead between June 24 and 28 to prevent the virus spreading.

Bruce Springsteen had been tapped to headline the show, which is UK’s biggest music festival, and all 137,500 tickets have been sold for the Somerset event.

“So many people gathered in one place is a risk and if the Government wanted to pull public events, like they have done in Mexico, we’d be one of the first to go,” the Sun quoted a source as saying.

“It would be crazy not to put a plan in place. Right now, though, it is still full steam ahead,” the source added.

According to an official Glasto spokesman, the show is still going ahead.

“We are monitoring all developments,” he said.

“At this stage the festival is going ahead and we are continuing to work flat out to make it a success,” he added. (ANI)