A FLEDGLING music festival may be axed after only three years - due to lack of support.

The Pig Pen Music Festival on Saturday proved a big hit with the 1,100 revellers who turned out to watch a number of local bands play.

However, Alex Morris said he and joint director Julia Burgess could be about £10,000 out of pocket, simply making it not worth their while in future.

Mr Morris' land at High Farm in Elwick, outside Hartlepool, played host to an array of bands on Saturday, including top North-East band The Mosaics, who have just launched their debut album, The White Negroes, Jarvis Humby, Get Vegas and Dirty Weekend.

He said the weather was fine, the atmosphere was relaxed and families were able to enjoy the ambience, too.

But this year's Pig Pen Festival may have to be the last - unless more support is forthcoming next year.

"It was a success, but we could have done with more numbers because it's all totally self-financed," said Mr Morris.

"We have lost probably £10,000 between the two of us, which is quite a lot of money. We have tried to get funding from the local councils, but none has been forthcoming.

"The first year was not on such a big scale, but we have increased security and we had different marquees and stage set-ups, which all costs money.

"We believe in order to progress we need to make it better each year, but we need support to grow, too."

Mr Morris said they needed to sell about 500 more tickets and required more people to buy drinks at the bar, rather than bring in their own alcohol.

"Although the prices at the bar were reasonable - at £2 a can - a lot of people still opt to bring their own," he added.

"Maybe next year we will have to play the sympathy vote and ask people to buy drinks at the bar. If we are to just break even, we need about 1,500 ticket sales and for every one to spend a tenner at the beer tent.

"We would love to do it again, but, at this point, we just don't know."