A festival has been granted permission for an extra 2,000 guests per year up to a maximum of 12,000 people after appealing a decision to limit its numbers.

The organisers of Brownstock Festival had taken Maldon District Council to court after the council’s licensing sub-committee refused their application to increase their crowd capacity from 5,999 to 15,000 over the next five years as it was concerned about the safe management of the crowd.

The festival, which is held at Morris Farm based between Stow Maries and South Woodham Ferrers, has been given permission to increase its capacity by 2,000 extra guests per year up to a maximum of 12,000 people after the two parties came to an agreement in advance of an appeal hearing at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

See today's Maldon and Burnham Standard for the full story