Organisers of a food market in Dorchester have been left feeling ‘upset’ after one of their signs was removed from a main road hours after being put up.

Those behind the Dorset Vegan MegaMarket fear that ‘people could miss out’ on their event after an advertisement sign near the entrance to Maiden Castle Farm Road on the A35 roadside verge was removed

Dorset Echo:

Sheila Biddlecombe, event organiser, said the sign was put up recently, only to be removed less than 24 hours later.

She said: “We put out the sign on the A35 and drove off not thinking anything of it. Less than 24 hours later on the next evening I was driving along, the sign was clearly gone.

Dorset Echo:

“It’s upsetting to see someone sabotage the sign like that as we’re not forcing people to attend. It’s made us wary for other signs we’ll be putting up in the future.”

This is the first time that the organisers have put up signs in the five years that they have organised the event, and Mrs Biddlecombe added that the other signs, advertising the Spring Show, which was held last weekend, were left intact.

She said: “We are a not-for-profit organisation trying to advertise, and a lot of people could miss out on coming as it is a busy road that people pay interest in.”

The estimated cost to replace the sign is thought to be around £10 and the incident was not reported to the police.

Mrs Biddlecombe added that she believes 'people who have objections to the vegan lifestyle' were responsible for the removal of the sign.

She said: “We don’t think that it was youths as the sign wasn’t defaced and people have their objections to the vegan lifestyle for their reasons.”

Dorset Echo:

The vegan market returns this year for the first time in spring on Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19.

It will be held at the historic site of Maumbury Rings on Weymouth Avenue in the county town from 10am to 4pm each day.

The event will host more than 50 stalls each day, with 100 per cent vegan products situated at the north end of the site.

Stalls will include hot and cold food and drinks from local businesses, cakes, ice cream, vegan deli and other cuisine.

There will also be a host of health and beauty care products, ethical clothing, eco-friendly products, jewellery, as well as information and advice.

Organisers are encouraging guests to come along with blankets or chairs for a relaxing day of dining with free entry.

There will be a variety of different stalls on each day, and if weather permits, an inflatable play zone with bouncy castles and slides will be set up for children.