THE mysterious disappearance of a banner at the end of this year's Billingham International Folklore Festival has sparked a world-wide search.

One of the overseas groups, I Adouloti, from Cyprus, realised that its trademark banner was missing when the festival climaxed last month.

At first, nobody was particularly worried, assuming that a member of the group had picked it up after the performance and taken it back to their accommodation.

When the group's leader, George Odysseos, found that no one in the group could account for its absence, he contacted festival director Joe Maloney, who started the hunt.

The 30-year-old banner, with its blue cloth cover, has not been seen since.

Mr Maloney said: "It's a real mystery. There's always someone who loses a shoe or a sock, something like that, but this is a banner of no monetary, but of great sentimental value.

"If anyone knows where it is, I'd be very grateful if they'd get in touch with me so that we can return it to the Cypriots. Understandably, they're really very upset to be without it."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Mr Maloney on (01642) 553220.