Ashby-based councillor Nick Rushton says the Download Festival could be under threat if there is any repeat of this year's traffic issues.

The famous rock music festival caused severe congestion on roads around Donington Park in Leicestershire on June 7 and 8.

The BBC website reports that Cllr Rushton - leader of Leicestershire County Council - said it was an "absolute disaster" with the worst queues he had seen in the festival's history.

But he believes the traffic would be better next year.

Cllr Rushton said: "Donington are pretty good operators but they really messed up big time this time.

"Something's got to change for next year otherwise I'll be pressing that the damn thing is cancelled."

Mr Rushton said it was not just festival-goers that were delayed.

He said: "My lawyer who works in Ashby and lives in Melbourne, a normal 10-minute journey home took her two-and-a-half hours.

Ashby-based Leicestershire County Council leader, Nick Rushton

"Hundreds of people emailed me from their cars, phoned me from their cars, people trying to get to the airport - 600 people actually missed flights - it was an absolute disaster."

This year the festival took place over four days, rather than three - to mark its 20th anniversary.

Some people reported queuing for more than seven hours to enter the site.

Roads like the M1, A50 and A453 became blocked with some people saying they queued for more than seven hours to enter the site.

Live Nation Entertainment, the organisers of the festival, agreed the traffic congestion was "unprecedented and not acceptable".

It has launched an investigation to establish what went wrong.

It said it planned for Download to return to its usual format in 2024, with the campsite opening two days before to "spread" the arrival of attendees.

Cllr Rushton added: "I think with a bit of controlling and not doing a four-day festival it should be a lot better next year."