ORGANISERS of Malvern Walking Festival will meet to discuss the poor response to this year's event.

Out of a programme of 28 walks, five of them attracted no participants at all and the average number for the rest was eight.

This, says Anthony Collis, one of the festival's organisers and Malvern Hills District Council's town centre manager, is a "very low response".

The three evening walks proved popular, with an average attendance of 15 people each. The highest turnout was 23 for the Castlemorton geology walk, one of the more strenuous walks.

Feedback forms issued to participants in both of the Two Beacons walks showed that ramblers had come from across the world to attend, including visitors from Hertfordshire, Somerset, the Netherlands and even Virginia, USA.

The festival was held from Saturday, May 27, to Sunday, June 4, and although the first weekend was marred by wet weather, the second enjoyed brilliant sunshine.

Robin Elt, another organiser, said it was "quite successful", but it was too soon to see how the festival would develop next year.

"It's a bit early to say yet because we haven't had a proper debrief," he said.

"Essentially it was quite successful, but it's becoming very obvious it's the interest walks that get people's attention.

"The dawn chorus walk, the geology walk and the well walks are very popular, and the general rambles are not so well supported."

Mr Elt also said the timing of the festival could be reconsidered.

"It came very shortly after the two big charity walks, so maybe some people had had enough of walking."

Ian Rowat, director of Malvern Hills Conservators, said: "We've got to get together and put our thinking caps on.

"We have to look at how we can do better next year."

Organisers are expected to meet next month.