The popular Thornton Hough scarecrow festival has been cancelled for the second year in a row.

The event was called off last year at the height of its popularity although it was expected to return this summer.

But this week, organisers revealed there would be no 2008 event and no decision has yet been made regarding the festival in 2009.

In 2006, the festival attracted more than 35,000 visitors from right across the UK.

It won the Mersey Award Tourism Award for Small Event of the Year in 2004 and the festival has previously raised £75,000 for village projects.