A CHARITY fundraiser could lose out on a lot of cash because of a council cock-up.

The Mutts Dog Show was due to take place at the Rotary Grounds in Hill Barn Lane, Worthing, tomorrow, with hundreds of visitors expected to attend.

But Adur and Worthing District Council said on Thursday the event has been moved to Broadwater Green because a children’s football match is taking precedence.

It has left organisers angry and worried hundreds of potential visitors will now miss the event – which was agreed in February would be held at the Rotary Grounds.

Lisa Carmel, secretary of the Charmandean Residents’ Association, has been organising the show with Wadars, a Worthing-based animal charity.

She said: “It’s not good enough – this is such a big deal and we hoped it would become Worthing’s new annual event.

“The council was totally supportive of the idea in February.

“Are they seriously saying they’re going to force people raising money for charity to move with barely 72 hours’ notice? It really is a joke.”

As well as the dog show, some 45 stalls are being put up by small businesses from around the county.

Lisa and other workers have had late nights and taken leave from their day jobs to prepare for tomorrow.

She added: “I don’t think we’ll make anywhere near as much money as before because there won’t be as many people coming.”

She also said many of the people from the residents’ association are elderly and will not be able to make the short trip to the new venue. Money is being raised for both the residents’ association and Wadars.

Lisa said the council has been putting up small posters around the town to alert people about the event being moved, but does not believe this will help much.

The event is running from 11am to 3pm.

A council spokesman said: “We regret to say that due to an administrative error we have double-booked events.

“As soon as we were made aware of the issue we contacted organisers of both events to see if an agreement could be reached so that both events could go ahead at the scheduled times.

“We have arranged for four of our staff members to work on the day to help ensure people are directed to the correct venue for the dog show. We have also paid for an advert in The Argus to alert readers to the change.

“We apologise for this mistake. All associated cost fees have been waived and we will also be making a charitable donation to Wadars.”