PLANS for a glorious two day festival to mark the 200th anniversary of the launch of HMS Beagle have been downgraded.

Rochford Council set aside £50,000 to launch a festival on Wallasea Island, where the historic vessel ended her career, but parts of it will be closed to the public.

A council report stated: “Following further consideration of the risks around the staging of the event, particularly concerned with the logistical challenges of accessing Wallasea Island, operational changes are proposed which will significantly mitigate those risks.

“It is proposed that there will an opening ceremony to mark the completion of the works to construct the observation platform and the new car park which will have been funded by the council by way of grant to RSPB. This will be a private event and not open to the public.”

A “revised beagle event” will be held at the Freight House in Rochford, on May 30 and 31 next year.

Simon Wootten, councillor for Roche North and Rural ward, said: “The logistics of getting people to park and taking them across to Wallasea would be difficult.

“We also had to think about what would happen if there was bad weather.

“The private event will be held in conjunction with the RSPB and the main event will be at the Freight House which will accommodate people better.”

Council leader Mike Steptoe added: “It was a logistical problem and a difficult thing to solve.”

After its launch in 1820, HMS Beagle sailed the world with naturalist, Charles Darwin, visiting sites such as the Galapagos Islands before ending her days in the mud in the River Roach.

A final decision will be taken on Wednesday.