A ticket offer which means that disadvantaged children and young people can enjoy one of the summer’s biggest events has been hailed as a winner – and there’s still a few days left in which to take up the organisers on their generosity.

The team putting together Rhythms of the World, the community arts and music festival which will be staged in the grounds of Hitchin Priory over the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, June 20 and 21, has teamed up with the Luton-based Happy Days children’s charity to offer the free tickets on the second day of the event to qualifying candidates across Herts and Beds.

Applicants must meet at least one of four criteria – to be registered disabled, have special educational needs, be acting as young carers or be homeless or living in a refuge environment.

A simple application form is available from the festival website at rotw.org.uk for tickets, which will be valid on the Sunday. Applications must be received by next Friday, June 12.

Shea Lucey, 14, who lives in Stevenage, has Down syndrome and was one of the first people to be awarded free tickets when the giveaway launched in April.

He’ll be able to enjoy the festival along with his parents, and mum Gill said: “Shea absolutely loves music and we’re so grateful to Happy Days for our tickets to Rhythms of the World.

“It’s Shea’s first ever music festival and we had no idea how much will be going on at the event until we looked at the website. We’re so excited!”

Festival volunteer and fundraiser Cath Cole said: “We’re delighted that Happy Days has agreed to extend the deadline for the ticket giveaway.

“The festival is about being accessible to all and this is a great way for us to demonstrate this. We hope Shea and many other local people like him have a great time at this year’s festival.”

Happy Days fundraising and marketing manager Rob Cox said: “We were delighted to have received so many applications when we first launched the giveaway.

“We really don’t want anyone to miss out on what promises to be a fabulous day so we decided to extend the deadline, but get your application to us as soon as possible because the free tickets are limited in number.”