Mad as hatters in Lyndhurst (From Daily Echo)

Mad as hatters in Lyndhurst

12:51pm Saturday 21st November 2009 in

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IT’S a decision likely to make The Mad Hatter seem sane.

A night-time festive event has been scrapped by health and safety bosses – because it was being held in the dark.

The plug has been pulled on the ironically named Alice in Winter Wonderland festival in Hampshire after council safety chiefs said it was too dangerous unless the whole event was flooded with light. They feared they could be sued if anyone had an accident as they enjoyed the event that would have been lit only by fairy Christmas lights.

Now the decision has been dubbed “Alice in Blunderland” and the council has been accused of behaving like a “Mad Hatter’s Tea party”.

The event was due to be held at the New Forest council headquarters at Appletree Court, Lyndhurst, on December 5-6, finishing after dark.

But civic leaders have pulled the plug after the cost of hiring lights and taking other measures to guarantee public safety spiralled past the £1,000 that had been set aside for the event.