A major festival which attracted thousands of visitors to Brighton and Hove has been cancelled, The Argus can reveal.

White Air, the extreme sports and music festival, has cancelled plans to return to the city this September.

The cancellation comes just days after the Spiegeltent revealed it was pulling out of May's Brighton Fringe Festival and adds to a growing list of major events consigned to the scrapheap.

Last year saw the collapse of music festivals Beachdown and Loop as well as the cancellation of a Fatboy Slim beach party in the early stages of planning.

This means that despite the big crowds expected for Brighton Festival and Fringe in May and Pride in August, the city will be distinctly quiet during the summer months.

White Air, which attracted 15,000 revellers over three days last year, announced the news in a short statement.

Organiser Nigel Howell said: "White Air will not be happening this year in Brighton. It was a fantastic festival in 2009, but due to lack of investment this year we cannot run the festival."

The event had only just relocated to the city after 12 years in the Isle of Wight and attracted attention with displays by the Red Arrows and extreme sports stars as well as performances by headline acts Biffy Clyro, The Cribs and The Doves.

Last year’s Beachdown music festival in Devil’s Dyke, Brighton, was pulled a day before it was due to start during the August Bank Holiday weekend.

Angry ticket holders are still owed thousands of pounds in refunds.

Loop Brighton, a celebration of digital culture, then went into liquidation in September.

The festival took place in July for the third year, but was badly affected by the economic climate.

Event organisers said local ticket sales were lower than expected and that it would cost between £150,000 and £200,000 to stage.

In 2009 fans of Fatboy Slim were disappointed that he did not return to Madeira Drive for his Big Beach Boutique.

Brighton and Hove City Council yesterday insisted there was still a full calendar of events.

A council spokesman said: "It’s a bit of shame but as one door shuts, several more open. We still have a packed programme of events including many new ones – the Brighton Marathon, the Wild Planet photo exhibition premiere on the seafront from March, the Chocolate Festival and a Champagne Festival over three days in June.

“We’re also talking to other promoters about filling any space left by the Spiegeltent. Rest assured, Brighton will be buzzing as usual this year.”