A WOMAN has vowed to fight tooth and nail to save a “wonderful” summer festival which may have to be cancelled.

Alda Olafsdottir, of Stanhope Road, High Barnet, was told the annual event which is held at the Old Courthouse Recreation Ground the first weekend in August is “too noisy”.

The 49-year-old singlehandedly launched the first event in 2013 to bring the community together and since then, it has raised £10,000 for Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice.

But Barnet Council have refused to grant her a new licence or help her find another park to hold it in.

She said: “I am angry. If I can’t carry this on I would feel like I’d be letting the people of High Barnet down because so many people look forward to it.

“I don’t want to give up on this festival. I am fighter and I will not roll over and give up hope. I will try and find a solution but it is sad the council have led me to start this fight.

“Surely this can be a positive thing for the area?”

She is now appealing for people to help her find somewhere in High Barnet to hold the festival and save it from going under.

She claims she has never breached the terms of her licence, has never lost the deposit she pays out of her own pocket and always cleans up afterwards.

She added: “It’s down to a few grumpy residents who made complaints about noise – but the loud music and everything stops by 9pm.

“I don’t understand it. We have never had any problems with fights or the police, and I’ve never had any argument with the council over this before.

“Name me one negative thing about this. Can they really stop it because some people can’t handle music one day a year?”

Ms Olafsdottir moved to High Barnet from Iceland 28 years ago and says she “cares a lot” about the community.

After realising there were no summer festivals in High Barnet, she decided to take matters into her own hands.

The festival, held from noon to 9pm during the first weekend in August, is free and includes children’s rides, stalls and food.

She added: “I was worried 200 people wouldn’t turn up at first but I’ve had such an incredible response from it – the atmosphere is always wonderful – beyond anything I can expect.

“People have told me they don’t want to lose it and it’s something they always look forward to, which shows me what good work it does.

“We can’t let them kill our festival. We simply can’t.”

A Barnet Council spokesperson, who the authority did not name, said: “We have decided not to grant a licence for festival at Wood Street this year after we received complaints from the police and numerous residents about the noise and safety of last year’s event.

“We gave the organisers a license for a maximum of 500 attendees for last year’s festival.

"However more than 5000 people attended at the event. This made it dangerous for guests and caused distress to local residents living in the area.

“We are working with the organisers to find an alternative location for this year’s festival.”

Can you help save the festival? E-mail aslater@london.newsquest.co.uk.