THERE will be no Pembrokeshire Fish Week festival this summer, the Western Telegraph has learned.

The popular annual event has been cancelled for 2015 because of illness to one of the main Pembrokeshire County Council organisers.

A council spokesman said: "Unfortunately, Kate Morgan, the County Council’s Food Manager, has some health problems and will need a course of treatment this spring.

"This will necessitate an absence of some months and put a considerable strain on resources."

Last year’s event is said to have pulled £2.7m into the local economy.

In an email sent to county councillors today (Monday), Martin White, Head of Regeneration at the council, confirmed that the event would return in 2016.

He wrote: “We feel that to go ahead and try to run with what would be a much scaled-down festival could be very damaging to the its current profile and detrimental to its future, plus of course disappointing to its attendees.

“However, looking at it positively, we are in the middle of planning a structural change to the festival to move it to a social enterprise model, and a break for one year will give us a great opportunity to move towards this successfully.

“It will give us more time to plan for the new structure, looking at fresh ideas and at income streams which can assist in the growth and sustainability of the festival, and allow us to come back revitalised and better in 2016.”

Neyland county councillor Paul Miller questioned how an event the size of Fish Week could be cancelled due to the illness of one person.

“I really struggle to believe that the best way of dealing with a staff absence can be to cancel the whole event.

"I'm certain that Kate Morgan is a key part of the team and clearly if she needs to take time out then she needs to be able to take that time out, but I'll be talking with Martin White to ensure the council has looked at all options for ensuring the event goes ahead as planned this year.”