Volunteers who live or work on the river in Oxfordshire have come forward to save an annual waterborne event from going under this summer.

Festival-goers enjoy last year's event A meeting is being held on April 5 to see what can be done to keep the popular Oxford Canal Festival afloat.

It was feared that the 2004 festival would have to be scrapped at short notice when a leading organiser contacted friends and supporters by e-mail a week ago and announced the June event had to be cancelled.

Philippa McAllister, who has helped co-ordinate the Oxford Mail -sponsored festival since it started in 1999, told disappointed river-users and performing artists: "Changes in the way the event is funded, combined with an internal restructuring, presented 11th hour obstacles that have proved insurmountable in staging a quality event.

"I would like to apologise for any inconvenience this may cause -- I know that some regular participants will have already begun preparations. I have been involved with the event for the past five years during which time I have had the pleasure of working with many of you and would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your past support and to wish you well with future enterprises.

"It has yet to be decided if an event will take place in 2005 but you will be informed of any future developments."

British Waterways, which has also sponsored past festivals, had already announced that due to widescale internal restructuring, it was having to withdraw financial support for this year's event.

A spokesman said: "We announced last year we would like to hand it back to the community, although we will be there to help arrange the moorings and have a presence at the event."

Since breaking the news, Ms McAllister has been on holiday and out of reach for further comment.

Anna Dolan, events officer at Oxford City Council, which also co-sponsors the annual festivals, said as far as she knew, the festival was going ahead as usual.

She said Ms McAllister, the community organiser, was normally assisted by a team of other people, but many of those who had helped organise the event in the past had announced they could not do so this year.