When the NASS festival was last held in 2019, it prompted floods of complaints from local residents with traffic chaos, scores of people wandering along the main roads near the Bath & West Showground, and loud music reverberating across the area.

And there were fears that the same issues would be repeated, when the four-day festival of music, street art, skate and BMX returned this weekend.

In a bid to reassure residents, NASS organisers put in place a series of measures designed to alleviate the problems, with staggered entry and a policy of not allowing re-entry to the site to anyone who left.

And so far, by and large, the system seems to have worked, with no sign of the traffic queues that occurred in previous years.

Cllr Barry O'Leary, who deputy leader of Mendip District Council, and the councillor for Evercreech, said: "I'm really glad to see that the festival has got extra security around the perimeter of the Bath & West. This has included closing nearby residential roads, and they have put in place a traffic plan that means many of the problems of 2019 have been addressed.

"I really and warmly welcomed this and I hope all those people going to NASS have a great festival. There will be some amazing displays of BMX in skateboarders and other outdoor sports, along with dance music.

"Events like this are very critical to the financial future of the Bath and West and help the local economy.

"I also look forward to the local community receiving a tangible benefit from the nice community fund. There are many projects, such as our own skate park in Evercreech, that need support and the financial support from NASS would make sense for projects such as this."

The event has already not been without issue though. There had been plans to run shuttle buses from Castle Cary station to the event, but at the last minute these were cancelled "due to driver shortages" and NASS told people to arrive by car where possible instead.

After swift intervention by Cllr O'Leary, some shuttle buses were reinstated, but advice still remained that festival-goers should arrive by car.

 Unfortunately, this meant that some festival goers arrived early and, unable to gain early access to the site, had to find other places to sleep and use toilet facilities.

Cllr O'Leary said: "That evening there was, unfortunately, some damage to road safety signs in and around Evercreech. Of course, this could just be a coincidence, but the perpetrators were seen walking back towards the showground.

"The horse sign was part of a countywide pilot and Evercreech was one of the only 40 sites selected all across the county of Somerset, so it's pretty bad that this has been damaged.

"Of course there is also the cost of replacing it, although I have been assured by Somerset's Highways department that this will be covered by NASS' event insurance and not passed on to the taxpayer.

"Our communities want is the festival to be successful, but we don't want to have the cloud of this vandalism hanging over it. Evercreech and surrounding areas always welcome visitors and know the economic benefits they bring.

"I look forward to a smooth rest of the festival, and to many other future events at the Bath and West."