The future of the prestigious Harwich Film Festival is in doubt.

The annual event will not take place in its planned slot at the end of March - and whether it goes ahead later in the year remains doubtful.

Organisers need about £10,000 to stage the three-day festival, but that has not been forthcoming so far.

Organiser Tim Foster said: "I'm waiting for suggestions, for people to come to me and actually commit themselves to supporting it. It hasn't got much support this year and probably won't go on unless it does."

Mr Foster said it was a constant struggle to get sponsorship from firms - not just in Harwich but in other parts of the region.

The festival - staged at Harwich's Electric Palace cinema - had enjoyed "loyal support" from pubs and hotels in Harwich, he said, but added that was not enough to raise enough money to stage the event.

Mr Foster said the event took around three months of his time to put together and that he would welcome approaches from anyone else who wanted to take on the running of the festival.

He added, it was not because he did not want to organise it but he did not have the time.

Over the past three years the event has shown a host of specialist films at the Electric Palace with people coming from across East Anglia to attend.

Town councillor Dave McLeod said it would be a "sad loss" were the festival to fold.

"It was just beginning to get established and was popular with townspeople and others."

Mr McLeod, who has championed the cause of bringing attractions to the town, appealed for someone else to come forward to take over the running of the event.

Anyone interested in supporting the festival can contact Mr Foster via our Clacton office on 01255 221221.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.