A POPULAR Hampshire festival could be axed if police win their battle against council chiefs.

Hampshire Constabulary has launched an appeal against Gosport Borough Council's decision to give the green light for the Stokes Bay Festival at the end of July.

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Officers fear the location of the event at Brune Park and Bay House School will lead to alcohol-fuelled disruption for residents and people's safety being put at risk with crowds moving between the two sites.

They believe the location is not suitable for a festival and camping and that the council has failed to consider any of their initial objections over safety, crime and traffic.

Chief Superintendent Karen Manners said: "The sites proposed this year are not the historic sites of this event and we believe that using sites in such close proximity to residential housing would present unique problems for the community.

"We believe these sites are unsuitable for the festival and that if the festival were to go ahead as proposed it would have a detrimental effect on the surrounding community."

The appeal will go before Fareham Magistrates on June 5.