THE Saltcoats Queen of the Sea Festival will not be going ahead this year, the Herald can exclusively reveal.

But organisers have insisted that it will return next year bigger and better for the 20th anniversary of the resurrection of the festival.

Traditionally held over a weekend in July, the festival returned back in 2000 and has been an important event in the Three Towns calendar with locals and visitors turning out in their droves to support it, whatever the weather.

This year’s festival will not go ahead due to a number of factors, not least the passing of one of the committee members.

Maria Paterson-Kidd, who serves on the committee, said that the passing of committee member Rita as well as others leaving for other reasons, meant that the 2019 event would be cancelled.

But she said that it will definitely be back and it will be bigger and better than ever for the 20th anniversary.

To keep up to date with the plans for 2020 or to volunteer to get involved with helping, search for Saltcoats Sea Queen on Facebook.