A MASSIVE millennium celebration has had to be cancelled due to the fuel crisis.

Groundwork Blackburn was planning to bring a host of activities to the town on Sunday to celebrate the culmination of a four-year scheme which has seen £1million ploughed into various projects throughout the borough.

But the crippling fuel situation has meant that many of the attractions -- such as firework displays and trapeze artists -- will be unable to get from their various bases across the country.

Even with some protesters calling off their blockades organisers fear the flow of petrol will not begin in time to secure the festival is a success.

"We realise that cancelling the event will cause a lot of frustration and disappointment to a lot of people but we would rather organise a proper festival for the community to enjoy," said Groundwork Blackburn's communications manager Adrian Blundell. "Many of the attractions would have struggled to get here and event the simple things like having electricity would have been difficult because we were told we might not have enough petrol for the generator." The day long festival was to take part over a huge area of Blackburn stretching from Ewood, near Blackburn Rovers, to Higher Croft Woods.

Representatives from the 21 Groundwork associations nationwide were to attend the festival, which was to celebrate the work of Groundwork Blackburn throughout the borough. Supported by Blackburn with Darwen Council Groundwork had received £450,000 from the Millennium Commission and fund-raised the rest of the cash themselves to plough into various projects such as educational trails and footpaths.

The celebrations have now been rescheduled for October 15.

An event at Beacon Fell has also been cancelled this weekend because of the fuel crisis.

The Foods Of the Forest Event, organised by Lancashire County Council, was due to take place this Saturday but has had to be pulled. The event was intended to promote produce grown and made in and around the Forest of Bowland.