Health officials are investigating 4,700 Covid cases after Boardmasters, which took place in Newquay from August 11 to 15 and was attended by more than 50,000 people. They are spread across the country but around 800 are living in Cornwall, a council official confirmed.

       He said people who tested positive reported they had been to the festival.

       Speaking during a press briefing with Cornwall Council and Public Health England (PHE), Ruth Goldstein, deputy director of public health for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said that while there were an "awful lot of measures" in place, cases of the virus were "predictable", Cornwall Live reports.

       Dr Goldstein said: "It's a very sociable disease, it likes groups of people.

       "We tried to mitigate and tried to reduce some of the impact."

       Rachel Wigglesworth, director of public health for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said the local authority will be able to learn lessons.

       Andy Virr, Cornwall Council cabinet member for adults and public health, said the council looked at the option of cancelling the event as it is not a completely self-contained festival.

       He said: "This is something we knew and this is something we were aware of."

       Attendees had to show proof they were doubled jabbed, a recent negative lateral flow test or natural immunity to enter the festival.

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       Cornwall Council’s Public Health team previously said it expected events like Boardmasters to contribute to a spike in cases.

       Speaking last week, Ms Wigglesworth said: “Covid cases have been rising steadily across Cornwall over recent weeks – particularly in our tourist hotspots.

       "This is an inevitable consequence of the lifting of restrictions and the Delta variant’s increased transmissibility.

       "It is quite a different picture to last summer.

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       "It is quite a different picture to last summer.

       “Of course, big events and mass gatherings like Boardmasters are now permitted and our Public Health team worked closely with the organisers over many weeks to ensure the event was as Covid-safe as possible, with measures going above and beyond national guidance.

       “We will continue to monitor the data as it becomes available, but we expect the festival will have contributed to the rise in cases we’re currently seeing.

       “That’s why we’re continuing to encourage everyone to get both of their jabs as soon as they can as this not only protects themselves but also diminishes the virus’s ability to spread."

       Boardmasters was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic.

       Express.co.uk has contacted Boardmasters for comment.