A CONTROVERSIAL campsite set up for Parklife has been cancelled, casting doubt over where up to 1,000 guests are going to sleep.

For the last month, Event Campsites has been selling camping pitches to people attending the Parklife festival, which takes place in Heaton Park this weekend.

Event Campsites is, however, in no way linked to the company that organises Parklife.

Event Campsites' site was originally due to be on land at Mellowdew Farm in Simister Lane, Prestwich, but the Manchester City Council-run safety advisory group ruled the site was not suitable.

The firm then moved the site to Prestwich Heys Football Club's ground in Sandgate Road, Prestwich.

Managing director Mohammed Buksh said they had room for up to 1,000 people, though would not say how many pitches it had sold.

Last night, Bury Council told club officials that they would be in breach of a leasing agreement if it went ahead, so the club abandoned those plans.

Event Campsites has now Tweeted to say the camp site will not go ahead and that it had emailed customers details.

However, its own website does not contain details of the campsite's cancellation - and is still taking bookings.

The company has not published details of any alternative campsites or places for its customers to stay. The first campers were due to arrive tomorrow morning.

The Bury Times has tried to contact the event organisers today without success.

A Prestwich Heys spokesman said: "Last year, we allowed Parklife staff to camp at the club with the full permission of the authorities and they had access to food, showers and other facilities.

"We initially thought we could do something similar this year, but, when Bury Council informed us otherwise, we complied with the council and did not further those plans."

A Bury Council spokesman said: "The original proposed campsite at Mellowdew Farm was on private land.

"Bury and Manchester councils, Greater Manchester Police, Fire and Rescue Service, and the Parklife organisers identified a number of concerns about this site, which were raised with the farmer and Event Campsites. 

"We asked for information which would help us fulfil our duties to ensure that the operation of the site would be safe, something that any prospective campers and their families would expect us to do.

"It seems that the farmer no longer wishes a campsite on the land, which is a matter entirely between him and Event Campsites.

"It would now appear that the organisers have contacted Prestwich Heys and sought to erect a campsite there on the football pitch.

"However, this is on council land, and a campsite is specifically against the terms of the lease, which states that the pitch is only to be used for football.

"That, and the lack of time to ensure the safety of the site, plus concerns we have about disturbance for local residents, means that we have now written to the sports club asking for immediate assurances that they will not allow a campsite to be erected there.

"We advise anyone who has bought tickets for camping to contact Event Campsites.

"In the meantime, we are working with other agencies to help festival-goers who arrive at the weekend and do not get the camping facilities they were expecting to find."