Festival ferry link cancelled after fault

A passenger ferry service between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight has been suspended after a problem with the vessel's exhaust was found.

Wightlink said the FastCat between Portsmouth Harbour and Ryde Pier Head would be out of action for the rest of the day on Sunday. The ferry is used by people travelling from the Isle of Wight to the Victorious Festival on Southsea Common.

The ferry firm said the hovercraft between Ryde and Southsea would run extra crossings, with Wightlink tickets being accepted. Passengers can also use the Portsmouth-Fishbourne car ferry.

On Saturday, several hovercraft crossings between Ryde and Southsea were cancelled following a technical issue and bad weather.

Apologising for the disruption on Sunday, Wightlink said: "Unfortunately, repairs are taking longer than initially anticipated.

"Our engineering teams are working hard to complete the necessary repairs and safely return the vessel to service as soon as possible.

"If there are any changes to this situation or services can resume earlier than expected, we will provide a further update as soon as possible."

Passengers are being urged to check timetables and plan their journey before they travel.