SMALL village events on The Green in Broadway could be under threat because organisers now need their own public liability insurance.

Event organisers have been told they need their own insurance to protect themselves because of the growing number of people inclined to sue over accidents at public events.

Dottie Friedli, secretary of Broadway Traders Association, said the Broadway Trust, which owns The Green, realised when they were updating their insurance that they were not adequately covered.

They have now advised each group, which range from the Women's Institute selling cakes to the horticultural show, to take out their own insurance, which must be paid before the booking is made.

"It's nobody's fault, it's just the way things are going in this modern world and it's very sad," Mrs Friedli said. "Small events might not go ahead now because if you are only making a couple of hundred pounds, you don't want to pay out the minimum £60 before you start. If it rains and has to be abandoned or there is a poor turnout, you'll be working at a loss before you even start."

The annual Father Christmas race has been cancelled this year because it was not deemed viable to pay the £60 insurance.

Mrs Friedli said: "We already had so many expenses with the Christmas lights and things. It was not sensible to use two people's membership fees for the whole year on one event."

A spokesman for the horticultural show held in the village every September said they were fortunate to be able to pay their £125 when they book The Green 12 months in advance.

"This will kill off any village activity," he said. "We haven't got much money and this money would be better off in our bank than the insurance company's. It's dead money until next year."

The trust has investigated taking out blanket cover, which would be cheaper for event organisers to pay into, but no insurance companies have been willing to provide.