THE Firework and Light Extravaganza at Bowood House due to take place on August 10, which attracted more than 4,000 people last year, has been cancelled.

The Cheshire-based organiser, Performing Arts, said it has been scrapped this year because of poor ticket sales.

A spokesman for the company said 2,000 tickets had been sold for the Bowood extravaganza, but it was hoping to have sold more.

Ticket buyers will be reimbursed. The spokesman said no decision had been made on whether the event would be held next year.

The Performing Arts Symphony Orchestra was due to take part in the event, in the gardens of Bowood.

Lord Lansdowne said he was extremely disappointed it had been cancelled. "I'm particularly sorry to hear that Performing Arts will be letting down the 2,000 ticket orders who have pre-booked and are looking forward to the event," he said.

"The annual concert has been running for over ten years and is enjoyed by so many people."

Concerts at Lulworth Castle on August 9 and Chetwynd Deer Park on August 11, also organised by Performing Arts, have been cancelled because of low advanced sales.

Last year's event at Bowood featured a pyrotechnic display, with more than 5,000 fireworks let off in a display also featuring music and lights.

The Performing Arts Symphony Orchestra also performed, opening up the event with a rendition of Offenbach's Can Can.

The Performing Arts spokesman added: "We apologise for the inconvenience, everyone who has bought a ticket for the Bowood event will be reimbursed."

Lord Lansdowne said the contract drawn up between Bowood and Performing Arts included no penalty for cancellation of the event.

He said Performing Arts forfeited the £1,100 deposit it had laid down on the use of Bowood, which is a tenth of the cost of running the event.

"You cannot quantify how much time we have all spent in arrangements for this major event," he said.

"Staff have been involved in preparing the car park, cutting the grass, and moving the sheep. There are costs involved but they are not huge."

Concertgoers paid £20 for advance tickets, which would have cost £23 on the night. Lord Lansdowne said he would do things differently if he was to work with the company again. "I would put a penalty clause in," he said.