THE long-running Ingleton Folk Festival has been cancelled this year and will not go ahead in years to come.

The Ingleton Folk Festival committee released a statement on its website, saying: "The Ingleton Folk Weekend 2017 was to have been Friday, September 29, to Sunday, October 1, but regrettably the committee has decided to cancel this year's event and is not planning to continue it going forward.

"An increasing number of similar festivals nearby has made it more difficult to generate enthusiasm locally.

"Due to concern about numbers we have decided to pull the plug now rather than try to put on an event and end up with poor attendance.

"We apologise to those who are disappointed by this decision but hope you understand the reason behind it. Thank you for your support in the past."

Committee member Paul Weaire confirmed the decision to cancel Ingleton Folk Festival, which has been running since 2001.

"The first few years we had it, we received Arts Council funding," he said. "We were always able to put it on for free but then other funding gradually disappeared.

"A lot of people have come over the years, but the event was the victim of its own success."

He said other places, such as Settle and Dent, also have folk festivals now making it difficult for visitors to come to events so close to each other on the calendar.

Paul said the festival, which has featured main acts such as Chumbawumba, Eliza Carthy and Ralph McTell over the years, will host a farewell evening of free entertainment featuring Keith Donnelly at Bernie's Café in Ingleton on Saturday, September 30, which starts at 7.30pm. Real ale and curry will be available on the evening.

The remaining festival funds will be given to Ingleton Swimming Pool Committee to help develop the Ingleton Splash Zone.