A HUGE railway extravaganza has been cancelled for the first time since it began 25 years ago.

Severn Valley Railway management have taken the unprecedented step of calling off its autumn gala - expected to attract between 5,000 and 7,000 visitors - amid fears of not being able to run enough steam locomotives for the event.

Spokesman David Wilcock said an "epidemic" of leaking boiler tubes and fire boxes was to blame and had already reduced the SVR's working quota of locomotives to three at one point.

Eight trains were needed for the gala, which was due to run from September 22-24 and is one of the biggest events on the calendar for steam enthusiasts.

SVR marketing manager John Leach said: "It is not a decision that has been taken lightly. It would have been silly, if not suicidal, to say it was going ahead and then find at the last minute that we couldn't provide enough locomotives."

Mr Wilcock said a "scientific answer" was being sought to the problem, which has plagued the SVR for about two months.