'Disgusted' families slam Bear Grylls' Gone Wild Festival for being an 'absolute shambles' after 'being left unable to book ANY activities' despite paying up to £1,000 for tickets

A festival organised by Bear Grylls has been branded an 'absolute shambles' after all the activities were booked up on the opening day.

Furious families who paid up to £1,000 for Gone Wild ripped into it online following huge queues while quad biking, climbing and paddle boarding were axed.

The event, which started yesterday and continues over the Bank Holiday, is being run by the former SAS soldier and held at Powderham Castle in Devon.

But those who went slammed the extortionate prices for food and drink and claimed some of the camping sites do not have any showers.

A festival organised by Bear Grylls has been branded an 'absolute shambles' after all the activities were booked up on the opening day

Furious families who paid up to £1,000 for Gone Wild ripped into it online following huge queues while quad biking, climbing and paddle boarding were axed

The event, which started yesterday and continues over the Bank Holiday, is being run by the former SAS soldier and held at Powderham Castle in Devon

Charlotte Trafford said: 'Bear Grylls Gone Wild festival - we paid approx £500 for our family ticket which included 80 activities. We arrived at 3pm to be told there are no activities available.'

Ninja Hollingsworth said: 'I am disgusted. My kids have been in tears as they have not been able to get any activities.

'Your toilet situation is disgraceful. The toilets are stinking, even children are standing and retching.

'No washing facilities - not been able to wash hands after trying to go to one these disgusting toilets. Worst festival I have ever been to.'

Dianne Harris said: 'We met people that were packing up and leaving because they couldn't book anything at all and had been queuing for hours.

'Crying kids everywhere. We're staying for the music, but not very happy, What a monumental cock up.

'Who should we be complaining to because the queue for the information desk was a joke!'

But those who went slammed the extortionate prices for food and drink and claimed some of the camping sites do not have any showers

Gone Wild was billed as the 'ultimate family adventure' with activities for adults and children over nine separate areas

Michael Hall said: 'Woken up this morning to discover that the water taps have stopped working.'

Toni Jones said: '£120 for a VIP ticket for instant tea and coffee and no soft drinks for the children. No charging stations are advertised. It really is a shambles!'

Matt Best said: 'Taking the p***. £300 on a weekend of activities and everything was booked before we get there.'

Rob Barnett said: 'Total chaos, long queues to try and book each individual activity. Campsite is fine and showers all ok. Didn't get any Covid checks which I was really surprised by.'

He added: 'This was an expensive event and expected more to be honest. Pretty disappointed.'

Lauren Barmby said: 'This festival is a total disappointment. I do not class expensive fairground rides to be part of the activities programme or the music entertainment.

'The most worrying problem is the no Covis safety regulations.'

She claimed there were no checks for negative test results or passports as specified on the bookings and no equipment was being sanitised.

She added: 'The only hand sanitiser is on the floor by the sawdust bags for the toilets!'

But Jon Lewis said: 'I think the chaos happened yesterday before we arrived. Few people moaning at the gate but I haven't seen any issues.

The father of two said: 'I think the booking system has been abandoned on some stuff.' 

Gone Wild was billed as the 'ultimate family adventure' with activities for adults and children over nine separate areas.

These included tree climbing, axe and spear throwing, BMX biking and raft building.

There was also a music stage where artists such as Razorlight, Kaiser Chiefs, Melanie C, Scouting for Girls and Morcheeba will play.

But social media users continued to slam the event, with some saying the music was 'unimpressive'.

Charlotte Emuss wrote: 'Arrived at lunch after travelling hundreds of miles, can't book on a single activity as everything is booked up – seriously unimpressed.

'Katrina Abbott was equally unimpressed and said: 'Saying we are angry, frustrated and disappointed is an understatement…we have paid nearly £1000 for the whole weekend.

'Firstly – we arrived at 8am and set up camp…there are no showers in our campsite and it stated ''Free Hot Showers on all campsites''.

'Secondly – we were at the gates early and when we went to book the activities they were all booked out. We have not been able to book a SINGLE activity.'

Jade Snashell said: 'Absolutely disappointing for the whole family! Activities fully booked for the whole weekend, first come first served.'

She added: 'So unfair, children are upset. All that money to camp at an overpriced campsite.'

Lizzy Fell put: 'Absolute shambles…hard earned money to give our children a fun weekend totally ruined!

'No Covid check! No hand gel or hand washing facilities! Too few toilets in a huge campsite…I could go on but instead…Home we go.'

And another added: 'We have no activities and spent £500 to just walk around, I am so furious feel completely ripped off. We deserve a refund.'

A Gone Wild spokesman said: 'Gone Wild is made up of over 80 activities, 17 of which are being run by a booking system on site for safety reasons.

'Due to extremely high demand for some activities we are sorry that some people may not be able to do all of their first choice activities but there are many many more to enjoy.

'All guests can explore the site and take part in any of the 60+ activities that don't require booking and are drop in only, including trapeze sessions, commando school, a South Pole expedition relay and talks and workshops from over 15 famous adventurers and explorers, as well as watching our headline acts on the main stage.

'None of this requires a booking and there is more than enough to fill a weekend.

'The safety of visitors to Gone Wild festival is of utmost importance. It is being run in accordance with all COVID guidelines currently in place relevant to an event of this format and size.

'Hand sanitiser is freely available, and attendees are asked to wear masks voluntarily. Most of the festival is in the open air with plenty of space to distance.

'Events taking place in marquees are well ventilated, and capacity numbers are being kept low.'