A HUGE New Year’s Eve Ball which was set to be staged in York has been cancelled.

UK Entertainment Online - which was also behind the Winter Wonderland Santa’s grotto in Exhibition Square - had planned to ‘make sure York sees in the New Year with a bang’ with a family event in a marquee on Bustardthorpe, near York Racecourse.

Guests were promised they would be ‘seated cabaret-style at tables, with food and refreshments available, as well as party accessories,’ and were told: “We want to see the whole family dressed up in your gladrags and best party frocks, all ready for the party of a lifetime.”

But organiser Penelope Ward said the event had been called off because of the recent high winds, which would have left it without insurance.

She said tickets, costing £30 a head, had been booked by about 40 people but as far as she was aware, they had all been informed of the cancellation.

They were all receiving a refund and she hoped no one would turn up unaware the ball was off.

*Were you planning to go to the New Year’s Eve Ball? Contact newsdesk on 01904 567131 or email newsdesk@thepress.co.uk as soon as possible.