A clampdown on illegal immigration to the UK is causing serious problems for a popular North-East cultural festival.

Organisers of the 28th Alnwick International Music Festival fear they could be left with a big hole in this year's programme if difficulties over getting permission to travel force some overseas groups to pull out.

Music and dance groups from Ghana, Korea, Nepal and the Ukraine have all hit problems in obtaining visas to enter the UK because of the tightening of travel restrictions on non-EU countries.

Festival organisers have already agreed to pay out £2,000 for visas for the 40-strong Ukrainian troupe Svitanok and hope the fact that the group visited Alnwick for last year's event will persuade officials they should be allowed to come.

However, they still don't know whether visas will be granted to Sogo from Ghana, Hur Sung Jae from Korea and Everest Nepal, which between them have about 60 musicians and dancers.

Performers from non-EU countries are being closely vetted by British High Commission officials with members having to prove that they are genuinely part of the groups and don't intend to travel to the UK and then disappear.

They are planning to contact immigration service officials in an attempt to sort out the problems and ensure the full programme can go ahead when the festival is staged from August 7 to 14. Last night festival spokesman John Moodie said the event would go ahead whatever happens but it would be a major blow if any of the four groups were unable to come.

"This is one of the biggest problems we have faced at the festival and it is all to do with the Government's efforts to tackle illegal immigration and the tightening of restrictions to non-EU residents.

"We have effectively got to guarantee to the authorities that any visitors to the festival will leave the country when it ends. Apparently there have been instances in other parts of the country where people have come in as part of music or dance groups and then vanished.

"We are able to vouch for the Ukrainian group because they came here last year and left without any problems, but the other three have never been to the festival before and we are still waiting to hear if they will get visas.

"This issue will continue to be a problem for us and it is possible we might have to restrict future festivals to groups and performers from EU countries only. That would be very sad because part of the attraction of the event is that we bring in groups from all over the world.

"It is a headache for us but, in fairness to the British authorities, they are simply following the rules and regulations on immigration."

This year's festival will feature about 350 musicians, dancers and singers with groups and individuals arriving from Portugal, Spain, Australia, Finland and Sardinia, as well as those encountering problems.

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