Another major Andover event has been postponed as uncertainty remains over the final relaxation of lockdown rules.

Andover Armed Forces Day is set to be pushed back to 2022 following a decision of the Armed Forces Day Committee, who said that the uncertainty over whether the scheduled June 21 lockdown relaxation will take place or not; the event being due to take place six days later.

Richard Rowles, the chair of the committee, told the Advertiser: “As Chair of the Armed Forces Day Committee, it is with regret I have to announce we have to postpone the event due to occur on the June 27 as the virus regulations look like they will still be in place.

“We do have amazing plans for next year and 2022 should be the best yet.”

Andover’s Armed Forces Day event has been running for five years, and often features a range of displays and activities including live music, performances and military equipment, while a fly-past is normally a staple of the festival.

It forms part of the national commemoration of Armed Forces Day, where those who serve in the military are recognised for their work. It began in 2006 as Veterans Day, with June 27 being the date as it was when the first Victoria Cross was awarded.

In 2009, it was renamed as Armed Forces Day to commemorate those who continue to serve alongside those who have retired from the front line. There have been calls to make it a public holiday, but these are yet to come to fruition.

Andover’s event was due to take place from 10am to 6pm on the day, but following the announcement, it will now take place in 2022 instead.

It follows events such as Andover Carnival being cancelled, which was due to be held on July 18. That too has been pushed back to 2022, with organisers citing “too many question marks” over arrangements for the big day.

The potential relaxation of lockdown rules on June 21 is in doubt following concerns over the spread of the delta variant of Covid, formerly known as the Indian variant, which is becoming the dominant strain of the virus in the UK. Overall case loads, however, continue to remain low at present.