A POPULAR festival in Ross-on-Wye, which was formed a decade ago to honour the life of rugby player Ollie Floyd, who as a groundsman, died in a tragic accident on a golf course in Newport at the age of 20 in 2015, is no more.

After running as Olliefest for a number of years, a name change to Yfest ensured that the festival grew into something truly special, filled with incredible live music, shared laughter, and unforgettable moments.

An annual rugby match between the two teams, Drybrook and Ross, that Ollie played for during his short career was included as part of the festival.

A spokesperson for the Olliefest / Yfest organising team said: “As we are now in what would have been our 10th anniversary weekend, we have some bittersweet news to share.

“When we first came together ten years ago, our goal was simple - to celebrate and honour the memory of Ollie, a wonderful young lad taken from us far too soon.

“However, after a quiet decline over the last few years, with the festival and organisers facing increasing financial losses that make continuing unsustainable, we have made the difficult decision that the festival will no longer be staged.

“While this chapter is coming to an end, we had an absolute ball over the last decade, and none of it would have been possible without our amazing team of volunteers, crew, sponsors, performers, and every single person who attended.

“The public’s tireless energy, time, and support kept Ollie’s memory alive and brought our community together year after year. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”