FURIOUS music lovers have been told they will not get a penny in compensation following the notorious Lesley Garrett concert at Mottisfont, near Romsey.

Hundreds of opera fans complained when bungled traffic arrangements ruined their enjoyment of the huge outdoor event that grossed about £200,000. Ten thousand people - who paid up to £20 each to see the internationally renowned diva - descended on the abbey at the end of last month for the concert.

But gridlock prompted many to miss the show altogether as they turned away to avoid tailbacks up to eight miles long.

Now, an unsigned, standard form letter has been sent out from promoters Plato Productions turning down requests for refunds and saying they acted "responsibly" and "did all they could".

The letter has immediately sparked outrage with some among the ticket-holders threatening to take the company to court.

And it comes as site owners, the National Trust, pledged to review their arrangements with all external promoters in the light of the fiasco. Concert-goer Valerie Marsh, from Sholing in Southampton, slammed the company's letter as complacent.

She said: "I am sure that most of us wouldn't be pursuing it so vigorously if we felt they were taking some responsibility but they are just not apologetic enough."

Pensioner Enid Boyd, who spent £60 on tickets, said: "I am hopping mad that the promoters can try to brush us aside like this. They are just rollercoasting over little people like us."

Mrs Boyd travelled from Winchester having arranged to meet two friends from Southampton.

She waited in the Mottisfont car park for three-and-a-half hours unaware that her friends were stuck in the traffic and eventually left without seeing the concert. She added: "I thought they must have had an accident so I went home and tried to phone them. It was a very stressful and distressing evening."

Rex Burke, of Water Tower Road, Broadstone, Dorset, who travelled with seven of his family and friends, vowed to take legal action.

He said: "We'll go all the way with this and I would be quite happy to lead any joint action if others want to join me."

No-one from Plato Productions was available for comment yesterday but in their letter bosses John Russell and Tim Lowden say they "maintained close contact with all relevant authorities, including the police".

However, senior officers have rejected any blame. Superintendent Russell Tribe said: "It's fair to say that our two positions are a long way apart but if anyone doubts our competence in giving advice over major events they only have to look at the weekend's Romsey Show which went very well."

National Trust spokesman Martin O'Neill said: "We remain concerned about the circumstances surrounding the concert. As the promoters, Plato Productions are the ones who have to answer questions over refunds.

"It is fair to say this is a very unusual set of circumstances. This incident calls into question our relations with external promoters. We will look at the whole question of using external promoters."

Hampshire County Council's trading standards department has received more than 20 calls from ticket-holders asking about their legal rights.

A spokesman said: "If you feel you can prove a contractual obligation that has not been met then taking action is something to consider. This is an unfortunate situation which may be difficult to establish in law."

Opera star Lesley Garrett has given an exclusive statement to the Daily Echo following the outcry over her Mottisfont concert.

She says she has always had a close relationship with her public and is greatly concerned that some fans were left disappointed on the night.

But she has sought to distance herself from the organisational problems which ruined the concert for so many.

Her statement, released through her London agent, reads: "Lesley Garrett would like to express her deep regret that some members of the audience at Mottisfont Abbey experienced problems in travelling to the venue.

"Lesley had been engaged as a guest artist for the concert and had been greatly looking forward to singing for such a large audience in the South-West. "She was not involved or responsible for the organisation of the site and indeed her own family were caught in the traffic delays, only arriving at the interval.

"In order to accommodate as many late-comers as possible Lesley agreed to delay the start time of the concert by 25 minutes and to extend the length of the interval. At the end of the concert she repeated a number from the first half of the programme for those people who had arrived late.

"Lesley was very aware of how bitterly disappointed some fans were and was extremely sorry that they were unable to enjoy the concert as planned.

"Lesley performs in many concerts throughout the UK each year and has never before experienced such problems with the organisation of an outdoor event.

"She hopes that those people affected will be able to attend one of her future concerts without difficulty."

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