A CALL for urgent investigations into the future of next year's Eastleigh carnival has gone out from organisers amid claims that the carnival committee has been "stabbed in the back" by Eastleigh council.

The 115-year-old annual blockbuster has raised countless thousands of pounds for local charities and is the oldest carnival in the south of England and possibly in the country.

But organisers were furious after they claimed a telephone call from council leader Keith House informed them that the town's dance and arts centre, The Point, would be closed during the 2003 carnival week for annual maintenance.

In a double whammy, Cllr House said a music festival would be staged on the Leigh Road recreation ground the week before - meaning that the carnival funfair would not be able to gain access to the site to set up on the normal day.

Speaking at a meeting of the council's Eastleigh local area committee, Eastleigh Carnival Association chairman Colin Hearn told councillors both matters would "seriously affect the viability of Eastleigh Carnival 2003".

Committee members felt they had been "stabbed in the back" by the council.

Mr Hearn questioned why the annual maintenance shutdown at The Point - used during carnival week for evening entertainment - could not be planned for the week following the carnival.

He added that without the funfair there, the whole carnival would be put into financial jeopardy.

He told members: "I hope that I am correct in saying nobody on your committee wishes to see Eastleigh Carnival cancelled. I therefore request that these matters are investigated urgently."

Cllr House told the Daily Echo: "I'm staggered by the response from the carnival committee.

"They seem to have got hold of the wrong end of the stick - of course we will want to meet with them."