Glastonbury Festival’s 50th anniversary edition has been postponed from June 2020 until 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, its organisers have said. 

Organisers Michael and Emily Eavis confirmed a fallow year would have to be enforced instead of the 50th anniversary celebrations this June.

In a statement to the press, Emily said: "Clearly this was not a course of action we hoped to take for our 50th anniversary event, but following the new government measures announced this week - and in times of such unprecedent uncertainty - this is now our only viable option."

Last week the organisers were criticised after assuring fans the festival would go ahead despite the global pandemic. 

Just yesterday, a music industry expert said it would be "astounding" if Glastonbury went ahead this year amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Matt Grimes, senior lecturer in music industries at Birmingham City University, said that it would be a “shame” if the festival had to be cancelled because it is meant to be celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

He told the PA news agency: “It would be astounding if Glastonbury did happen.”

He added: “People come from all over the world, or would have been coming from all over the world, to see this.

“That is probably not going to happen now because I don’t think countries are going to lift travel bans any time soon.”

He added that music festival organisers need to take “pragmatic decisions” about whether or not to go ahead with events.

The cost of cancelling the festival could be “in the region of £15 million to £20 million”, according to Mr Grimes.

“Not just the festival itself, but all the supply chain that comes out of that,” he said.