Womad festival sickness investigation inconclusive - UKHSA

An investigation looking at a number of sickness cases after a music festival has come back as inconclusive.

It said tests have not identified a singular cause.

Womad organisers said they were relieved to learn there was "no evidence" that illness may have been caused by actions taken onsite.

The UKHSA has now closed its investigation.

Festival attendee, Neil Sinden, was one of those to fall ill.

He said he had experienced a "serious tummy bug" within 24 hours of the festival at Charlton Park, in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, which took place between 27 and 30 July.

Describing it as the "worst bug" he has had in his life, Mr Sinden said he had also heard from friends who experienced similar symptoms.

"It took a week to get rid of," he said.

Mr Sinden, who works as an environmental consultant and has attended the festival many times before, said while there were some water based toilet facilities available at an extra cost, the majority of festival goers were using compost loos and alcohol based hand gel.

He also questioned whether the outbreak was linked to a particular eatery.

But consultant in health protection for UKHSA South West, Dr Alasdair Wood, said while the agency had "considered different potential causes", including food, water, toilet and hygiene facilities, and results of samples from people affected where available, the tests carried out did not identify a singular cause.

"Given the time lapsed from the event, it is unlikely further testing will reveal any additional information," he added.

The UKHSA said it had not identified any ongoing public health risk from the illness reported at the festival and "the number of people that have reported illness are small as a proportion of the total number of festival goers".

Mr Wood said the UKHSA, Wiltshire Council and the organisers of Womad festival were continuing to work together and will take forward feedback from this event into the planning of future festivals.

Womad organisers said their hand washing facilities and hand gel was the same as usual and the same as other festivals.

In a statement, they said they were "greatly concerned" after hearing reports of some festival goers feeling unwell after attending the event.

They added: "We are greatly relieved to learn that the outbreak was both limited in its reach and that there is no evidence to support any concern that illness may have been caused by actions taken onsite either by Womad as festival producers or any of our partners including food traders.

"This does not diminish in any way our concern for any of the people affected and we wish them a speedy recovery."