A number of events that are sure highlights in the west Dorset calendar this summer have been cancelled, postponed or adapted.

Lyme Regis’ seafront festival, Guitars on the Beach, the popular Jurassic Fields music festival, Bridport Carnival and Bridport’s wacky hat festival will not be going ahead this year. These events join the Melplash Show, Buckham Fair, Bridport Food Festival and Bridport Round Table's Beer Festival in not going ahead this year.

The town's carnival was due to take place in August with a week of events and the torchlight procession to West Bay.

Graham Davies, chairman of Bridport Carnival Committee, said: "It is with deep regret that the Bridport Carnival Committee is announcing that this year's Bridport Carnival 17 – 22 August 2020 has been cancelled due to the coronavirus and the uncertainty of the months ahead.

"We wish to thank all who have offered help and support, to businesses for their kind sponsorship. Many thanks to Bridport Town Council, which has put in a huge amount of work already.

"In the meantime, please stay safe and our thoughts are very much with those who have been affected and impacted by the coronavirus.

"We look forward to welcoming you all back to Bridport Carnival week 16 – 22 August 2021."

Jurassic Fields was due to take place from July 9 to 11, but directors have had to postpone the Asker Meadows event, but next year’s will be ‘the biggest and best yet’.

A spokesman said: “We have been working tirelessly with the confirmed acts and are pleased to say we have managed to secure all announced acts so far to play on the rescheduled dates in 2021.

“We are as disappointed as you are not to be holding the festival this year, but public safety is our primary concern and without premises license restrictions or restrictions on gatherings of any size being lifted anytime soon, the festival would not survive.”

For more information and details of next year’s fundraisers, visit jurassicfields.com

Guitars on the Beach was scheduled to take over the sandy beach in Lyme Regis on June 27, but organisers have announced a scaled back virtual event that everyone can take part in from their homes.

A spokesman said: “To brighten the sad news of Guitars on the Beach 2020 not being on the beach, we are planning a scaled down virtual Guitars on the Beach for June 27, 2020. We will be using a few of the songs from this year for the virtual event and saving some for the rollover next year. There will still be a play-along section plus guest acts, but you will watch and join in from the safety of your homes, more details will follow over the next few weeks.”

Organisers say that money raised for the event is safe but there is a possibility they could lose the deposit for the stage and may have to do a bit more fundraising for next year’s event.

For full details, search for Guitars on the Beach on Facebook.

Bridport Hat Festival, scheduled for September 5, is another favourite event that has had to be cancelled.

Jacqui Lovett, president of Bridport Hat Festival, said: “It saddens me and the team to have to cancel this year’s event. It has been the right thing to do under the circumstances of such a large gathering of people that travel from all over the country to this annual event.

“I would like to thank the local businesses and Bridport Town Council which give us great support in the last 10 years.

“We will meet again in 2021 to make it a better and greater event.

“Keep safe everyone.”