RAMSBOTTOM Chocolate Festival will go ahead as normal, after confusion surrounding the event.

Earlier this week, Conservative councillors accused Bury Council of trying to block the festival from taking place because of health and safety fears.

But the council denied this, and now organisers say they are looking forward to hosting the event – promising it will be even “bigger and better” this time around.

A Bury Council spokesman said: “Bury Council is fully supportive of the Ramsbottom Chocolate Festival and as yet we have not received an application for licensing or highway closures.

“It is wrong to suggest that the event has been blocked.

“Last year’s event was attended by many thousands of visitors.

“The feedback was that there was considerable overcrowding and should the event continue to grow then traffic management, road safety and general crowd safety issues need to be addressed by the event organisers.

“These concerns have been expressed by Bury Council, the police and the fire service.

“We will continue to work with the organiser to provide helpful advice on how the key issues can be addressed.

“As the event grows then it requires greater planning and attention to crowd safety.”

A meeting was held this afternoon to clear up confusion and plan for the festival.

Greg Fletcher, from organisers Ramsbottom Food and Craft Market, said: “The meeting was very positive and everybody is singing from the same page again.

“I am chuffed the festival is going ahead and it’s all systems go.

“It will be held in the town centre once again, as in previous years.

“Hopefully we will get some nice weather, although not too warm as we don’t want the chocolate to melt.”

Mr Fletcher said the event, which was visited by tens of thousands of people in 2016, will this year be held over a larger area to avoid congestion, and al fresco dining areas will be moved further away from the stalls.

“Hopefully this will make for a more relaxed experienced while eating," he added.

“It’s going to be bigger and better this year.

“Everybody is on board and all really want to make it the best one ever.”