THE FUTURE of one of Basingstoke's top twinning festivals lies in doubt after the organisers dropped out of running the event.

The Local Sports Council announced that its members could no longer organise the popular Euskirchen Festival of Sport owing to a lack of resources.

Kevin Laing, chairman of the sports council, who has been the driving force behind the festival for more than 15 years and who helped start the popular sporting weekend, told the Borough Council that he could not personally continue.

He said the festival had grown too large for a few volunteers to organise.

The news was announced at a meeting with the borough council, which has already taken over the running of the Alencon Festival of Sport, and 15 sport club representatives.

The club members and LSC had arranged to meet the borough's chief executive Katrine Sporle, but she failed to attend owing to personal commitments.

Talking to the council's head of leisure services, Neil Cole, and twinning panel chairwoman, Cllr Sheila Knight,

Mr Laing said: "There are always headaches when doing a festival of this size, but it is usually a joy in the end. However, of late, the headaches have outweighed the joy.

"Time and time again, one of the main problems of the festival is to do with the civic side.

"Councillors who are always there are not aware of which team is Basingstoke, who the sports leaders are and who the organisers are.

"The sports council will do their damnedest to get clubs and sporting individuals involved in the festivals but we do not have the resources or the interest in organising them.

"We have been treated awfully the last couple of years and snubbed too many times."

Sarah Owens, secretary of the sports council and a major player in the organisation of the event, said: "There seems to be a 'them and us' situation, and we are totally ignored."

Chris Berry, of Basingstoke Athletics Club, added: "There is a commitment among the sports clubs to keep the festivals going and make them a success.

"But it does seem that the borough council has hijacked them and generally treated us with contempt."

However, Cllr Sheila Knight denied that sports clubs were snubbed during festival weekends, saying: "You cannot divorce the civic party from the festivals. Twinning is about both civic responsibilities and sporting links."

Mr Laing highlighted the organisational work done by LSC volunteers and club representatives in preparation for the Euskirchen festival, saying it had grown to such a scale that it now needed a dedicated figure, ideally a council officer.

He said after the meeting: "The festival has grown so much that a voluntary body cannot handle it. It needs support from the borough council.

"The council now has two options - either run the festival themselves or it doesn't run at all."

Neil Cole, head of the borough's leisure services, confirmed after the meeting: "As previously agreed, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council will be operating the 2001 festival of Sport with Alencon.

"The operation of the Euskirchen Festival of Sport will now be considered further at a meeting on January 3."