A lack of support and donations means St Neots will not have a carnival next year or for the foreseeable future. Organisers have said that, if everyone who watched this year s event had donated just 10p to the cause, the carnival would have been saved. Th

A lack of support and donations means St Neots will not have a carnival next year or for the foreseeable future.

Organisers have said that, if everyone who watched this year's event had donated just 10p to the cause, the carnival would have been saved.

The town has hosted an annual carnival for the last 60 years but organisers have announced the event may be finished.

Jean Searle, chairman of the St Neots Carnival committee, said: "No one wants to help us and we just can't do it anymore - we have now got to the stage where enough is enough. We need lots of people to organise a carnival and money, but nobody wants to give us either."

As reported by The Hunts Post earlier in August, there were concerns about the carnival's future, but the final decision now looks to have been taken.

At the last AGM of the carnival committee, just six people, five of whom are committee members, attended.

Last year's bucket collections, as well as other fundraisers and grants, raised only £2,400 when the carnival cost £8,000 to run.

Mrs Searle was one of a handful of volunteers who went out collecting money in a bucket when this year's carnival took place on the August bank holiday.

She said: "There were thousands of people lining the streets to watch the procession but I estimate only 12 people put their hands in their pockets and put money in my bucket.

"If each person in St Neots gave just 10p, it could help pay for the carnival.

"Each year everything costs more and more money and it becomes more and more difficult. The committee members are understandably upset but we have had enough."

An extraordinary meeting of the carnival committee will take place on December 10 at the Priory Centre in St Neots at 8pm to finalise the arrangements for closing the committee.

Potential volunteers can attend to offer suggestions or support.

However, the support will have to be strong as many committee members are intent on stepping down.

Mrs Searle added: "If anyone wants to try they can, but I will be stepping down for good and so will the other committee members."

Town mayor, Cllr Bob Eaton, said he could sympathise with the committee and would be discussing with councillors a number of alternative events that could replace the carnival.

INFORMATION: Do you think St Neots carnival should be saved? If not, what other event would you like to see replace it? E-mail your views to: editor@huntspost.co.uk or write to: St Neots Carnival debate, The Hunts Post, 30 High Street, Huntingdon, Cambs, PE29 3TB.