The Harwich Film Festival will take place this year after organisers secured it an autumn date.

The future of the festival, which began in 1997 at the town's historic Electric Palace cinema, had been in doubt and its scheduled date in March was cancelled.

But under the stewardship of Richard Oxborrow, the festival has been revived and is due to take place on October 6 and 7.

Mr Oxborrow admitted funding - which was one of the reasons the festival was originally cancelled - was still a problem.

It had been estimated a three-day festival would cost about £10,000, so now it has been scaled down to two days and will be run on a tight budget.

He said: "It's definitely going to continue this year. We've had to slim it down to two days. If we can get money in, let's get a festival centre going."

Such a centre would be a focal point for festival goers before and after screenings, including a venue for a launch party.

Mr Oxborrow added letters seeking sponsorship had been sent out to firms in the area.

The theme for this year's festival will be Whatever Happened to the British Film Industry? and it is planned to reserve a number of slots for British films.

Already confirmed is a showing of Holiday With George, a short film shot earlier this year in Clacton, which will open the festival.

British black comedy Weak at Denise, directed by Julian Nott, will be publicly screened for the first time on the Friday.

It stars former EastEnder Craig Fairbrass and Bill Thomas, whose TV credits include The House of Eliott and Harry Enfield And Chums. The latter will be in Harwich to present the film.

Anybody who might be able to assist either with sponsorship or with running the festival can call Mr Oxborrow on 01255 871111 during office hours.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.