RAMSBOTTOM'S annual R & B Festival will not be going ahead this summer after organisers failed to find a backer for the event.

They have had to cancel this year's event after main sponsors Thwaites brewery pulled out and they were unable to find a suitable main backer in time.

The Ramsbottom R & B Partnership, which runs the three-day festival, had hoped the show would still go on this year.

The partnership worked throughout January to find a sponsor for the event, which would now have been in its third year and which last year attracted almost 4,000 followers from the North West and beyond.

As well as the main stage at Ramsbottom Civic Hall, featuring top international headline acts, the festival had popular roadhouse venues in pubs throughout the town.

Now the partnership is promising to make up for the disappointment and say 2007's feast of live entertainment should be bigger and better than ever.

David Agnew, of the partnership and The Met Arts Centre, who underwrite and manage the festival, said: "We are disappointed not to be able to deliver the festival this June as previous years have been extremely popular.

"We would like to thank the many individuals and organisations who have expressed interest and support for the festival.

"However, with the level of planning required to make such a large event successful, we are now at a stage where we must look to beyond 2006."

Mr Agnew said the partnership would begin to plan festivals which would be sustained over a three-year period. Improved and bigger festivals are planned for 2007-2010, which will require advance work and funding if the event is to remain a fixture.