APATHY has forced organisers to call off this year's St John's Mediaeval Fayre.

Their appeal for volunteers to help run the fun-packed September event has fallen on deaf ears - but they hope it will be back next year.

The fayre - thought to date back to mediaeval times when St John's was independent from Worcester - was revived by the area's residents and traders' association in 1993.

Last year, the Church of St John in Bedwardine took over its organisation, but the team of volunteers needed to begin organisation in April did not materialise.

"It's gone to sleep this year but it will be regenerated," said Denis Ogle, of the traders' association.

"We ran out of volunteers and decided that we couldn't go ahead. I don't want to make a song and dance about it because, hopefully, next year it will go ahead.

"It would have been the tenth Mediaeval Fayre, and that's the annoying thing.

"But we needed dedicated people to work on it from about April onwards and they weren't forthcoming this year."

For the past nine years, the event has seen the Church Green packed with stalls and games run by people in mediaeval costume.

Over the years, it has raised thousands for local charities, including Worcester Wheels car bus service, Westside Club for the elderly, local Guide and Scout groups and Westside children's charities.