TWO East Lancashire musicians were left reeling today after police pulled the plug on a sell-out 25,000-ticket dance festival they were to help headline.

Percussionist and programmer Ged Lynch and keyboard player and saxophonist Martin Slattery were due to appear as part of hit band Black Grape at the Tribal Gathering event at Otmoor Park, Beckley, Oxford, on May 4.

Ged, from Accrington, and Martin, from Oswaldtwistle, have backed Black Grape with wild-man Shaun Ryder since he quit The Happy Mondays.

But Thames Valley Constabulary forced the cancellation of the event after raising fears over traffic jams.

Magistrates at Thames refused to grant a licence after police objected to the volume of traffic it would cause.

The organisers had given assurances that they would supply 61 buses to ferry people to and from the site for the £29 a head festival.

Black Grape are currently touring on the East coast of America but Martin, 22, telephoned friends after hearing the news.

His girlfriend said: "He is obviously very disappointed because he really wanted to do the date.

"He has played T In The Park in Scotland and Sheffield arena before, but this could have been his biggest ever gig.

"Apparently the organisers are going to set up the stage any way in the hope that they might be able to appeal against the decision. It could go ahead after all."

Last night the band were appearing in Rhode Island and were today moving on to Washington, before going to New York and Montreal.

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