MORECAMBE'S summer festival season ended in fiasco at the weekend when only a handful of people turned up.

Bands at last weekend's Alter-Native Festival on the resort's promenade played to an empty auditorium when the expected crowds failed to attend.

It was called off on Sunday due to heavy rain but both Alter-Native and the Retro festival, which was held the week before, are being labelled as "embarrassing flops."

Controversy has surrounded the festival season this year following the cancellation of Summerbreeze. Organisers Kalimba claim council money promised to them was not forthcoming.

And questions are being asked about this year's disappointing season which, despite featuring top name acts, failed to attract people to the resort.

One member of the public who did attend, Jon Sills, said: "It was more like the Marie Celest than a festival site. Some kind of show could have easily have been put on for the public in the Dome surely? Isn't that what it's there for? It is really unprofessional way for a local authority to behave and I would like to say that my three friends and I were extremely angry at this total waste of time and we will think twice before bothering to come to a festival in Morecambe again in a hurry."

The Alter Native and Retro festivals were organised by Penrith-based Rhythm of Life, who blamed the weather and the fuel crisis for the poor turn out.

A spokesman said that the only reason the festival was cancelled on Sunday evening was because the whole stage was lashed with rain and it had become unsafe. He added that they were looking to organise festivals in the resort next year earlier in the season.

There were criticisms about the level of publicity for both events. Details about acts performing at Alter-Native were only given to local media a few days before it took place.