Carnival organisers and war veterans have been given their marching orders because officials say they must pay for road closures for their events.

New safety advice issued to carnivals, fairs and street parades means they are having to pay a professional traffic management company to carry out road closures.

The hefty bills - which can run into hundreds of pounds - is already forcing some organisers to think again.

Members of carnival committees in Teesdale say the money spent on road closures has eaten up a substantial part of their budget.

The County Durham Safety Advisory Group for Teesdale has recommended that where a road closure order is needed, a professional traffic management company is employed to reduce liability to the carnival organisers.

Barnard Castle Meet is being forced to move its traditional date from the Whit Bank Holiday, to avoid having to pay double-time to the traffic management companies.

Meet President Andy Willsmore, said: "This is the first year we had to employ people and we were having to pay double time for something that was always done by volunteers. It was a significant part of our budget.

"We try and run the Meet like a business and had to think what we can do to save money. This year we had to make savings in other places which weren't too apparent to the general public."

"This could see the demise of some of the smaller village carnivals."

Elsewhere a procession by the Royal British Legion in Consett, County Durham, has been toned down after organisers were faced with a large bill.

The group is replacing its branch standard with a lighter version that is easier to carry.

The old version, carried by branch chairman George Barsby, made one last emotional trip to France last weekend, to take part in the commemorations for the anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy.

The Legion wanted to give the banner a proper send-off with a march around Consett town centre, on Sunday, June 27.

But its members were stunned after Durham County Council said this would require road closures in Front Street and Albert Road.

For closures to go ahead, the council's Highways department wanted evidence of a full traffic management system, drawn up by a council-approved private company and paid for by the Legion.

Branch secretary Tommy Armstrong said: "I really feel sick about it."

The group has now drastically cut back the parade.

Instead of a circuit taking in the whole of the town centre, it will run down the pedestrianised zone of Middle Street, to Christ Church, where the dedication ceremony for the new standard will be conducted.

But to avoid paying for any road closures, the veterans will still have to stop marching at the bottom of Middle Street and fall out at the roadside.

They will then cross over Raglan Street and Parliament Street in the guise of ordinary pedestrians, before forming back up on the other side and marching into church.

The Safety Advisory Group is formed with representatives from the county and district councils, police, and the fire and ambulance services. The chairman of the group, and Teesdale council's head of planning and building control, Peter Fayle said: "It all comes down to health and safety, if an accident happens because of road signs, the organisers could be responsible.

"We just try and give the best advice. I realise that in some cases it becomes expensive. But we're trying to safeguard members of the public and the organisers from any bother."

Inspector Kevin Tuck of Barnard Castle police said: "The police are between a rock and a hard place. We have to comply with legislation, but we want to support community events.

"For police to be able to police events safely, we would want these guidelines followed.

"We would never stop a community event if they didn't comply with the advice from a Safety Advisory Group. But I would make it clear that we wouldn't be held responsible."