A BASINGSTOKE-based events company has offered to step in after a firm arranging Christmas parties in the borough went bust.

CWA Events and Conferences, which is based in Surrey, had booked the Dummer Cricket Centre for 20 nights in the run up to Christmas.

It was planning to host a selection of themed Christmas parties for punters across Basingstoke and the surrounding area.

But - just a few months before they were due to start - the company has now written to customers to tell them it has gone into voluntary liquidation and that it cannot stage the parties.

The Dummer venue had been set to host Mardi Gras-themed events from November 26 until December 22, with the parties costing between £27.50 and £52.50 per person.

The announcement may have left company employees in the area out of pocket and without a Christmas party - as a number of dates were sold out.

Now String Events, based in Bilton Road, has appealed for people who have lost out to get in touch. The firm wants to find out how many people have been let down, and is considering laying on parties at discounted prices.

Phil Simmons, head of presentation at The String Group, said: "We are trying to find out how many people have lost some sort of deposit and are looking to give them a discount on our tickets.

"What we are going to do is find out what the interest is and, if there is enough, we will set up a Christmas party for all of these people.

"If they contact us and say that they are one of the people who have been let down, we can take it from there."

He revealed that one of the venues the company has in mind for the party is Milestones museum.

As well as in Dummer, CWA Events and Conferences had also arranged parties in Gosport and Aldershot. Anyone who wants to contact Mr Simmons can call 01256 300472.