Last week, we revealed that three overseas groups looked set to drop out of this year's event at the last minute, leaving festival bosses facing the devastating prospect of staging a scaled-down showcase.

Financial problems left the appearance of Kzimik, from Mauritius, in doubt, Atopani, of Togo, had their visas turned down and organisers were unable to contact Pynimelis of Lithuania.

In a last ditch effort, the festival committee made an appeal to any local musicians who could participate at the eight-day event, which starts this Saturday.

And local talent has saved the day.

Festival bosses have been inundated with requests and have given places to a number of Northumberland-based acts – of different musical sounds and performances – that have offered to help.

They have also been in discussions with a group from the Czech Republic and a Pakistani pipe band.

John Moodie, festival chairman, said: "The committee is very pleased and very grateful to those people who have offered to help us out. And we are still getting more requests.

"When we heard that the three groups might not be coming we were facing massive gaps in the programme but these local acts have come forward and helped fill it up."

He added: "We are so grateful to the Gazette. It isn't the first time the Gazette has helped us out and they have done it again. The newspaper highlighted our problem and we have had a great response through that. It has really given us a moral boost."

Earlier this week, festival leaders learned that the three groups who were in doubt are unable to attend, leaving overseas acts from the Netherlands, Switzerland, Poland and North Cyprus, as well as Phynnodderee from the Isle of Man, on the programme. They will now be joined by a larger number of UK acts than originally planned.
But John believes this greater mix between international and home-grown talent could well be the way forward in the future.

He said: "We have had comments before, asking why there wasn't more home-grown groups. We have got that this year. It will give us a better balance and hopefully it should please everybody."