PEOPLE may be relieved that the foot and mouth crisis appears to be over, but the effects are still being felt in the community with yet another rural summer event cancelled due to the risk of infection.

Although European Union veterinary experts agreed to resume exports of live animals, meat and dairy products last Thursday, event organisers have had to make decisions in good time, before the announcement and the Journal has now learned that the garden opera in Somerley Park has been cancelled.

This would have been the first time an opera had been performed in the grounds of Somerley and thousands of visitors were expected with their picnic baskets to hear the performance of La Bohème.

This comes just weeks after the popular Ellingham show, due to be held on August 11, was cancelled.

Marketing director for the estate, Rosalind Nott, said that around 12,000 fliers had been sent out advertising the event, which would have appealed to all ages and all lovers of music. We're stuffed but there's nothing that we can do.

"We are hugely concerned about the number of people who will turn up on the night."

She stressed that there are over 1,000 sheep on the site and that they are "all over the park".

"When you have livestock you've got to protect them at the end of the day when we've got people arriving from all over the place.

"We all remember the last time it happened."

Commenting on the decision, Lord Normanton said: "It has been a very sad decision to take, but Somerley, along with other estates in the area, must take the most appropriate action to protect livestock, and for this reason we had no alternative but to cancel what I am sure would have been a wonderful debut performance.

"All the pre-booked ticket holders will receive a refund but we also know that a large number of people were planning to arrive on the day.

"We just hope that this message will reach a large audience to minimise any disappointment."

A spokesman for The Garden Opera said: "Obviously we are disappointed with the cancellation given the work that has been put into the event but we understand the seriousness of the reasons for cancelling the event."

At the time of going to press, the Romsey Show is still going ahead on September 8, but will not have its usual display of cattle and sheep.

Romsey Show secretary Annie Carder said: "It's a sad and hard decision to cancel the livestock competitions.

"They are the heart of an agricultural show, but the movement restrictions leave us with no choice and it would be an even greater shame to cancel the whole show when so much else is unaffected, particularly the many new attractions we have this year such as the food show, helicopter displays, Titan the robot and, thanks to our president this year, Lawrie McMenemy, Saints in the Community coaching sessions."