PLACES are disappearing fast for groups wanting a stall at Malvern's annual charity fair.

The event is organised by Community Action and held at the Forum, Malvern Theatres, on Saturday, November 8.

Charities such as the RNLI, Cancer Research and St John Ambulance will set up stalls to raise funds and awareness.

However, three months before the event, only nine stalls are left to book out of around 40 offered.

Organisers said stalls have gone unusually fast for this early in the year. The event started 28 years ago and has a normal attendance of more than 2,500 people.

"Malvern people are very supportive of the event," said Mike McKnight of Community Action. "We are always oversubscribed for stalls and the Forum is usually packed on the day."

The fair will be opened by the chairman of Malvern Hills District Council, Coun Donald Pearce, and Malvern mayor, Coun Roger Hall-Jones, who will then tour the stalls and judge a best-dressed stall competition.

There will also be a raffle. The event has been sponsored by Malvern Rotary, which has given £1,000 to be used towards paying for the event.