AN ANNUAL festival held in memory of Witney schoolgirl Liberty Baker will not take place next year, organisers have confirmed. 

Libfest has been held on the Leys recreation ground in Witney for the last three years to raise money for charities after the 14-year-old was killed by a dangerous driver whilst walking to school with friends in 2014.

Organisers - including Liberty's parents Paul and Maureen Baker - have decided not to hold the event next year because of planned maintenance work to the football pitch on the Leys. 

Witney Town Council is planning to restore the pitch after the end of the football season in May 2018 with the land expected to be off limits until July. 

Chair of the Libfest organising committee Faye Carrick explained that the event has always been held as close to the anniversary of Liberty's death - June 30 - as possible and that 'it wouldn't feel right to hold it later in the year.'

Mrs Carrick also said the organisers welcomed the chance to have a fallow year 'like Glastonbury' to re-group and consolidate ready to return with a 'even more special festival' in 2019. 

Over the last three years the event has raised £70,000 for charities including SeeSaw, who support children dealing with grief, and the Thames Valley Air Ambulance. 

Libfest runners took part in the Oxford Half Marathon earlier this month and fundraising events will continue to take place in 2018 will all the money raised going to SeeSaw. 

This Sunday would have been Liberty's eighteenth birthday and the family are coming together to celebrate her life.