REVELLERS planning to head to Winchester for this year's Homelands music festival could find themselves in difficulty, thanks to engineering work on the county's rail network that weekend.

More than 30,000 people are expected at the outdoor event on Saturday, May 28, many of them intending to travel by train so they can enjoy the party without having to worry about driving.

However, Network Rail, who manage the nation's train tracks, say they have been forced to schedule essential track repairs over the bank holiday weekend, which will seriously affect the Winchester to London line.

The work will include upgrading power supplies and overhauling the tracks, and will require the line to be out of out of action for most of Saturday.

Operator South West Trains will be encouraging people travelling from or via London to take a train to Petersfield, from where coaches will ferry them the rest of the way to the event at the Matterley Bowl at Cheesefoot Head.

Trains chiefs also say they have put a lot of effort into making sure as much of the work as possible will be completed by the following morning, meaning travellers should be able to get back to London via Winchester as normal.

A spokesman for Network Rail said: "We have been working very closely with South West Trains to try to ensure most of the work gets done in the early hours of Sunday morning, so that people can still get back to London via Winchester."

A spokesman for festival promoter Mean Fiddler said measures had been introduced to minimise problems.

"Mean Fiddler have introduced free shuttle buses which will run directly from Petersfield station to the Homelands site.

"These measures are in place to ensure that there will be no disruptions to travel plans.

"This gesture is to make sure everybody enjoys their day without the stresses normally associated with rail engineering works."