TOTTINGTON's biggest village event of the year was marred by thieves.

Organisers said Saturday's gala would have been the most successful if thieves had not stolen an £800 generator used to run the bar.

Now the money raised at the event will go to replacing the hired equipment rather than to Tottington Football Club and the building of a community centre.

Mr Vincent Holden, of the gala committee, said: "The thieves completely ruined the event. All we have talked about since the event was the theft instead of talking about how successful the event was."

The generator was stolen as organisers were cleaning up. Organisers, who only had public liability insurance, claim they may have to stage another fund-raising event to cover the cost of the generator.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.