CARNIVAL organisers and war veterans are considering the future of their events because officials said they must pay for road closures.

New safety advice issued to carnivals, fairs and street parades means they are having to pay a professional traffic management company to deal with road closures.

The bills, which can be hundreds of pounds, are already forcing some organisers to think about their futures.

Members of a carnival committee in Teesdale said the money spent on road closures has used up a substantial part of its budget.

The County Durham Safety Advisory Group for Teesdale has recommended that where a road closure order is needed, a professional traffic management company is employed, to reduce liability on the carnival organisers.

Barnard Castle Meet is having to move its traditional date from the Whit Bank Holiday to avoid having to pay double-time to a traffic management company.

Meet president Andy Willsmore said: "This is the first year we had to employ people, and we were having to pay double-time for something that was always done by volunteers. It was a significant part of our budget.

"We try and run the meet like a business and had to think what we can do to save money. This could see the demise of some of the smaller village carnivals."

A procession by the Royal British Legion, in Consett, County Durham, has been toned down after organisers were faced with a large bill.

The group is replacing its branch standard with a lighter one.

The outgoing version, carried by branch chairman George Barsby, went to France last weekend to take part in the commemorations of the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy.

The legion wanted to give the banner a proper send-off with a march in Consett on Sunday, June 27.

But its members were stunned after Durham County Council said this would require road closures in Front Street and Albert Road.

For closures to go ahead, the council's highways department wanted evidence of a traffic management system drawn up by a council-approved private company and paid for by the legion.

Branch secretary Tommy Armstrong said: "I really feel sick about it."

Instead of a circuit taking in the whole of the town centre, it will go down the pedestrianised part of Middle Street to Christ Church, where the dedication ceremony for the incoming standard will take place.

To avoid paying for any road closures, the veterans will still have to stop marching at the bottom of Middle Street.

They will then cross Raglan Street and Parliament Street as ordinary pedestrians, form up on the other side and march into church.

Teesdale Safety Advisory Group includes representatives from the county and district councils, police, and the fire and ambulance services.

The chairman of the group, and Teesdale Borough Council's head of planning and building control, Peter Fayle, said: "It all comes down to health and safety. If an accident happens because of road signs, the organisers could be responsible.

"We just try to give the best advice. I realise that in some cases it becomes expensive, but we are trying to safeguard the public and the organisers from any bother."

Inspector Kevin Tuck, of Barnard Castle police, said: "The police are between a rock and a hard place. We have to comply with legislation, but we want to support community events.

"For police to be able to police events safely, we would want these guidelines followed.

"We would never stop a community event if they did not comply with the advice from a safety advisory group, but I would make it clear that we would not be held responsible."