Southend's county cricket festival could be thrown a lifeline by the borough council.

There were fears the event could be axed -- as Ilford week was this summer -- following poor attendances in recent years.

The lack of interest means the festival has become a financial liability for Essex.

But chief executive David East said negotiations were well under way with the council with a view to them staging the festival themselves.

He admitted the event was struggling and said: "The main benefit of staging games away from Chelmsford is that it provides a local focus for our cricket to another part of the county.

"There has, in the past, been a core of membership that have come from the festival areas, but from a personal point of view it is becoming increasingly difficult to justify the expense of travelling to the festival grounds -- particularly when we are having relatively modest support."

Of the potential council funding he said: "They gave us an indication last year that they would be willing to do that and we confirmed the 2003 festival on the understanding that we would move towards that in 2004 and beyond."

A spokesman from Southend-on-Sea Borough Council confirmed: "We are having discussions with the County Cricket Club with regard to taking over the responsibility of running the annual festival at Southchurch Park as from next year.

Published Thursday, August 7, 2003

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