The future of the annual New Forest cider festival is uncertain after two attendees were found dead in a campervan, prompting reflections on the tragic incident.
New Forest Cider Festival's Future Uncertain After Deaths
The organisers of an annual New Forest cider festival have said it is "too soon" to know if next year's event will go ahead after two people were found dead in a campervan.
Paramedics attended the New Forest Cider's Craft Cider Festival on Pound Lane on Sunday morning, before informing Hampshire police of an "unexpected death" in a parked vehicle. A 38-year-old woman and a 45-year-old man had been pronounced dead at the scene, both of which were from Blandford Forum, a market town in Dorset.
New Forest Cider, the organisers of the festival, expressed deep sadness over the tragic deaths and clarified that the incident was unrelated to the festival itself. Mary Louise Topp, director of New Forest Cider, stated that it is too early to determine the future of the event and that their current focus is on those affected by the incident.
Hampshire police confirmed that the deaths were sudden, with a file being prepared for the coroner. An eyewitness revealed that the deaths occurred on the festival grounds, leading police to cordon off an area of the field behind New Forest Cider's premises.
The Craft Cider Festival is a yearly event showcasing cider making with vintage presses and live entertainment. The tragic incident has cast a shadow over the festival's future, with uncertainty surrounding whether the event will proceed in the coming years.
Published on 16 October 2025 by UKFG
