Heartbroken volunteers have been forced to abandon plans to hold a “precious” green fair - because it costs them £3,000 to hire the field.

Redbridge Green Fair has been running in Valentines Park, Wanstead, every two years since 1991, but the expense is taking its toll on the small committee.

Vision, which is Redbridge Council’s leisure partner, has offered a payment plan - but tireless organisers say this is not enough.

Olcay Aniker-Lumley got involved with the event in 1997 and is now hoping to fundraise and hold the event next year instead, a year behind schedule.

The 60-year-old said: “I am very upset. It’s dear to our hearts.

“We put thousands of hours into this. It’s so precious.

“We feel really under-appreciated. The council are working against us.

The mother-of-two, who is the committee’s chairman, began negotiating with Vision Redbridge in January.

She had hoped they would be sympathetic to her plea and the good work the fair does by reducing the fee - but talks did not go to plan.

In the meantime, she is furious that the funfair which runs in the park does not have to pay such a high figure to rent the field.

Although Redbridge has offered the group a £3,000 grant, they say this leaves them with no extra cash for other expenses.

The fair is the last green fair left in London and used to get funding from Redbridge’s area committees.

Fellow committee member Rose Southern said: “We are frustrated and fed up. The time and love we put into this, isundervalued.”

A council spokesperson said:  “We are sorry to hear of the organisational difficulties they’ve been experiencing but it is not the case that their financial problems are of the council or its leisure partner Vision’s making.  
“The council has agreed an arts grant of £3,000 and Vision offered a payment option for the costs of the field to help with the cash flow of the event, as well as the support and assistance of their events manager. 

“Redbridge Council and Vision are ready to support the board in any way they can.”