AN East Lancashire town could lose a show which has already put it on the national map and could put it on the international map.

Organisers of the Rossendale Motorbike Show are threatening to pull out of Rawtenstall, where it has been staged for the last seven years, because of lack of support from the local council.

The council's policy committee voted not to waive some of the £1,900 charges organisers face for items such as hire of Newhallhey sports ground, street cleaning and road closures.

Council leader John McManus, said: "In principle we support the show, but I don't think we should be subsidising something that makes so much profit." But show president Tony Winder branded the council as 'short-sighted' and said: "We will seriously consider moving the show to another area if a different authority looks on it more favourably and if we feel this would benefit charities more."

He refuted the suggestion that the show made a lot of money. This year the event took £20,447. After expenses of £13,369 a surplus of £7,087 is left to be split between local charities and the organisation of next year's show.

He added that the show had contributed over £3,000 to the cost of improving footpaths in Whitaker Park, where the Mini-motor event was staged this year and said the people of Rossendale would benefit from this for the rest of the year.

The threat to move the show came as organisers revealed that, because of its success, the World Governing Body of Motorcycle Sport would like to stage its international Annual Motorcamp in Rossendale in 1999.

Mr Winder added: "The Bike Show has already given Rossendale national status. We're now on the first rung of bringing international status in the Valley."

This year the show attracted 25,000 visitors to Rawtenstall. It was the biggest show ever.

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