HUNDREDS of people were left royally disappointed after a beacon was not lit to celebrate the Queen’s platinum jubilee.

Families turned out to see the beacon lit at Orchards Holiday Village, in Point Clear, to mark 70 years of Queen Elizabeth’s reign on Thursday night.

The parish council’s official beacon lighting took place at Cowley Park, in St Osyth village, at the same time as more than 2,000 others across the country.

The beacon at Point Clear is on private land at the Haven Holidays-run park with the public believing it would be lit by the camp.

Point Clear councillor Michael Talbot said: “The Orchards’ beacon, which had just been repaired, was expected to be lit once again in celebration of Her Majesty’s 70 years on the throne.

“From 9pm many hundreds of people gathered around the beacon.

“I would modestly estimate some 400 were present, waiting in expectation of the Orchards staff arriving to light the beacon.

“When my neighbour phoned the Orchards’ office to ask when they were coming, the person answering said they knew nothing about it.

“I feel so disappointed for all the families with young children who arrived with expectation of seeing something they may never see again, only to find the whole thing a damp squib.”

St Osyth Parish Council’s clerk issued a statement following the event, after some residents blamed the council.

He said: “At no time has anyone requested the involvement or assistance of the council or help in the organisation of the beacon at Point Clear.

“The only contact between the council and the Orchards was the initial inquiry from the chairman as to whether the beacon was to be repaired, to which there was no response.

“Like many others, the parish council is disappointed that the beacon was not lit.

“Unless invited to, by the landowner, the council does not have the power, authority or ability to arrange a public event on private land.”

A spokesman for Haven Holidays said: “We were approached by a local parish councillor in April about the fixing of the beacon for the Jubilee celebrations which we duly did.

"The councillor informed us they would approach the relevant people about the lighting of the beacon and would contact us.

"We received no further contact from the council nor were we aware of any plans for the lightning.

"We would have been happy to support, hence the fixing of the beacon, but were not aware that this had been communicated locally until the evening of the event.”