A TRADITIONAL town show, saved by councillors last month, has been put under threat again.

Last month Hartlepool councillors voted to let the Hartlepool Show carry on into its 47th year despite suggestions it was unpopular and out-of-date.

Complaints had been received about the state of the football pitches at Grayfields after the show and it was suggested it should be shelved because of falling attendance and spiralling costs.

However, at a full meeting of Hartlepool Borough Council, councillors voted 19 to 18 to keep the £20,000 Hartlepool Show going, hold a maritime festival once every two years, and reject plans for a replacement horticultural event.

But now, the council's community services and safety board has asked councillors to reconsider their decision.

Because of a lack of funding, the board has recommended the Hartlepool Show is cancelled and replaced by a cheaper annual horticultural show and the maritime festival.

There had been suggestions that Hartlepool Show could be run by volunteers, but it was acknowledged this could not be achieved until next year and for the authority to run both the show and a maritime festival would cost an extra £30,000.

A spokesman for the board said: "The present resolution of council provides for runn-ing the Hartlepool Show annually and running the Maritime Festival every second year from 2002. The budget is not available to do this."

The council will again consider the future of the show at its next meeting."