A national organisation could take over the running of the Worthing Festival.

Worthing Borough Council stepped in at the 11th hour this year to ensure a summer festival, mainly based on the seafront, went ahead.

However, the council does not wish to take over the reins permanently and is looking for another organisation to step in and sort out next year's event.

Councillor Maurice Tucker, executive member for leisure and cultural services, said a "well-established national organisation" had been in touch with the council.

He said it would be wrong for him to divulge at this stage its identity, stating the council had only been approached in the past week.

Coun Tucker said: "We have had an approach and need to establish the legalities."

The council joined forces with former Worthing Seafront Fayre organiser Ian Richardson to salvage this year's event after the long-standing organisers pulled out.

The July weekend was blighted by poor weather, which forced the cancellation of a 20-minute display by the Red Arrows and wrecked the Saturday evening market.

But the rain lifted on Sunday, when thousands of people flocked to the town for various events, including a custom car show in Steyne Gardens.

Councillor Sheila Player, leader of the council, said: "We do want to encourage third parties to get involved."

Councillor Bob Smytherman, chairman of economic development, said the festival put the town on the map from a tourism point of view.

He said: "We need to encourage an organisation to pick it up and run with it."

Councillor Hazel Thorpe praised the "unsung heroes" of this year's event for putting in so much time and effort.