A popular festival which was set to take place near Glasgow this weekend has been cancelled.
This year's Strathaven Balloon Festival at Strathaven Park has been called off.
The award-winning Scots balloon event was set to take place today (Friday, August 23) and on Saturday, August 24 and Sunday, August 25 in the South Lanarkshire town.
Revealing the news on social media, bosses of the festival said they were "devastated".
In a Facebook post, they said the organising committee has been "working since last September" to plan this year's event - which was going to be its 25th anniversary.
However, they said due to the weather forecast predicting "heavy rain and winds" over the weekend, they have had to axe the event over safety concerns for visitors, balloon pilots, and other guests.
In the post, the event organisers said: "Strathaven Balloon Festival - cancelled.
"The organising committee has been working since last September on plans for the 25th anniversary festival in 2024 with final arrangements being made this week ahead of the weekend.
"We have been keeping a close eye on the weather all this week in the hope that things would improve.
"However, the priority of the organisers is the safety of all visitors, pilots, stallholders, musicians, volunteers and everyone else who is involved with the committee.
"The forecast for Saturday and Sunday is heavy rain and winds that are too strong for safe flying or tethering, with low cloud cover that would stop the parachutists from jumping.
"The winds are also forecast to be at the limits for market stalls and gazebos.
"We have already had to abandon plans for one park-and-ride site leaving us with only two. Without Balloons, there is no Strathaven Balloon Festival.
"On the basis of the forecasts, and to give as much notice to everyone as possible, we met tonight and took the reluctant decision to cancel the 2024 Strathaven Balloon Festival.
"We are devastated to have had to do this and we apologise to everyone who was looking forward to a great weekend of balloons, funfair, live music and much more."
It continued: "We will be contacting all sponsors and funders offering them the option of carrying their payments forward to next year’s festival as we will still have expenses and outgoings to pay irrespective of the event being cancelled.
"We would also like to thank all of our volunteers who give up their time to help make the festival such a success each year."
