THE future of a popular event in the Eastleigh borough has been thrown into jeopardy after organisers stepped down.

Hundreds of borough residents who enjoyed the Carols in the Square in Hamble for the past 25 years might be disappointed in the future.

Volunteers at St Andrew’s Church have previously organised the event but have now announced they will no longer be able to do it.

They said the scale of the event had become too great for the small group of volunteers, many of whom are well into retirement.

The festive singalong, which takes place on Christmas Eve, was initially attended by a small group of local residents.

But now it has become a major community event for residents in the Eastleigh borough, with more than 500 people packing the village’s square every year.

Organisers are now calling for a new group of volunteers or a local organisation to step in and save the event.

The Rev Graham Whiting, vicar at St Andrew’s Church, said: “There is the risk that if we don’t get enough people the event won’t be run.

“We need more people to come forward to take it over.

“There’s an urgency to have more volunteers as soon as possible.

“It’s an important event for the community and it would be a shame to stop it.”

Mr Whiting said that due to the scale of the gathering more permissions, licences, insurances and risk assessments are also required and volunteers are not able to help any longer.

“Our volunteers are getting older and it’s all too complicated,” he added.

A meeting to discuss the future of the event will take place in the back hall of the Memorial Hall in Hamble tonight at 7pm.