A COUNCIL leader has hit back at claims that Morecambe's annual charity carnival could be crippled by council regulations.

Last week, carnival organisers told the Citizen that plans for the August festival were being hampered by new restrictions.

Committee secretary Margery Buck said they had been told hot food retailers or fairground rides would not be allowed at the arena venue, floats could be banned from the promenade because of weight restrictions, and that they would be charged up to £1,000 to close the roads.

But, in a statement to the Citizen this week, Cllr Tricia Heath, leader of the Morecambe Bay Independents, slammed these claims as "cheap, political point-scoring."

"We are astonished at the accusations made by a committee trying to put the blame for a disastrous carnival last year onto someone else," Cllr Heath explained.

"These kind of unfounded attacks do nothing to help the failing carnival which has been in the past been ably run by hard-working volunteers."

Last year the carnival was held over the August Bank Holiday weekend rather than on the first weekend of June as in previous years.

Cllr Heath argued that the carnival organisers had gone against council advice to hold it in August again this year, when the resort is busy, and it is "nonsense" to close the roads.

She said that although the new promenade has weight restrictions, the carnival floats will be able to use the stretch between Battery and the Midland as in the past.

Cllr Heath added she had received many complaints from people who were disappointed with last year's carnival and that changes need to be made to avoid the "chaos" of last summer.

"Where are all the floats, dancers and bands that used to participate? One band and six carnival princesses sat on the bonnet of a car do not make a carnival parade.

"Members of the Independent group have served for many years past on the carnival committee and still support the principle like many local people -- but let's get it right and back to its origins."