PEOPLE living in a north Suffolk town are being urged to attend a crucial meeting next month in a bid to prevent its 2004 carnival from being cancelled.

PEOPLE living in a north Suffolk town are being urged to attend a crucial meeting next month in a bid to prevent its 2004 carnival from being cancelled.

Beccles Carnival only went ahead this year following an 11th hour intervention by town mayor Mark Bee.

The event was originally called off by the organisers because of rising costs and, in particular, insurance premiums.

The event went ahead and although it had one of the best parades in recent years and a superb fireworks display it still made a loss of about £3,000.

Many of the organisers have decided they will not get involved with the carnival next year and unless more volunteers come forward there is a real danger there will be no carnival in Beccles next year.

Carnival chairman Ivan Homes, a stalwart of the event in recent years, is among those who has decided it is time to go.

Secretary Jill Sillett is also standing down.

"We think it is time to let other people have a go. A lot of people have been involved over many years. Many feel it is the right time to go, especially with last year's problems," she said.

Ms Sillett said the future of the carnival will be decided at a meeting being held at Beccles Public Hall on Thursday, October 23, at 7.30pm.

"Whoever turns up there will decide the future of the carnival.

"When people heard that this year's carnival had been saved we had a lot of messages of support and promises of help - but only one person followed it through," said Ms Sillett.

She said the committee had faced extra costs including street closures, insurance and licences and there had been some complaints from the public.

"Sadly many people didn't want to pay to see the fireworks and went and watched from Safeway's. It doesn't help. If it hadn't been for the help of Beccles Lions we could not have done it."

Deputy town mayor Douglas Peck is one committee member who seems likely to continue for another year.

Anyone wanting information about the carnival at Beccles before the organising committee hold its annual meeting can contact Ms Sillett on 01502 710777.