Storm Bert has damaged a popular Wiltshire light show visited by thousands, forcing it and its venue to close.

The Festival of Light in Longleat is a spectacular display of large lanterns depicting knights, pyramids and other fanciful scenes, lit up in the dark.

READ MORE: Cinema suddenly closes indefinitely after film cancellations

Organisers cancelled shows on Saturday and that night, November 23, the lanterns sustained damage that led to the show and Longleat itself being closed.

A statement on the website states: "We are sorry but due to damage caused overnight by Storm Bert, we are not able to open as we hoped. 

“We are also sorry to be sharing this with you later than we aimed to do but we needed time to ensure we carried out a full inspection as your safety has always been our priority. 

"The situation changed dramatically overnight. Crews are going to be working throughout the day to repair the damage to ensure The Festival of Light is as spectacular as it was before the storm hit.”

The BBC reported that the storm had damaged the silk of the lanterns.

An update will be provided later today regarding whether it can open on Monday. 

The statement adds: “Our teams remain busy with calls and emails from those affected by Saturday’s closure, please do bear with us.”

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