ONE of Hampshire's biggest fundraising events may be driven off the road by a 3,750 per cent bill increase, it has been claimed.

Organisers of the Daisy Chain Run say the charge for hiring Gang Warily at Blackfield unexpectedly soared from £47 last year to £1,763.

They are urging the building's owners, Fawley Parish Council, to reconsider its bill.

The fundraisers say next year's event may not take place if the fee is too high and no alternative venue can be found.

However, the parish council has hit back in a statement which claims that some of the comments made by the charity are "inaccurate and misleading".

A record 5,000 motorcyclists from all over the country raised £6,500 for the Wessex Cancer Trust.

The 22-mile event started at Totton and was followed by a huge rally at Gang Warily.

Organiser Gilly Jones, 34, of East Boldre, in the New Forest, had hoped to raise £10,000, but said the event was the victim of bad weather.

She added: "Another huge damper was a massive increase in the hire fee for Gang Warily.

"The Daisy Chain Run has been held there for the past four years. Fawley Parish Council always considered the event a charity one and donated the site for a nominal £47.

"This year we were presented with a bill for more than £1,762.

"The new management made it clear from the start that they were not going to be as generous as in previous years, insisting on charging £350 for the site and £50 for each stand.

"This is a huge disappointment and I hope the parish council reconsiders the bill."

The statement issued by the council avoided any mention of figures, but said the hire fee had been "significantly offset" by income from catering.

It added: "The council is required to charge VAT, but a registered charity or business is able to reclaim the amount.

"The council agreed that Daisy Chain could save expenditure by clearing the sites used, but 15 council staff were required to return the sites to their previous condition.

"The council is required to charge for the use of its facilities, but gives generous discounts to charity and community groups."

Council chairman Roger Randall said: "The facts were known to the organisers before the event, with every opportunity for concerns to be raised and settled.

"We also offered to have a post-event meeting with Daisy Chain to review this year's run."