THE Gazette & Herald has stepped in to help the cash-strapped Malmesbury Jazz Festival.

Editor Gary Lawrence has announced the paper will be sponsoring the programme and posters for the event to be held in September.

Festival secretary Sue Poole said: "I am really pleased. I have always done the publicity material myself. I am not a graphic designer and all I had was a desktop publishing programme on my computer.

"It will be nice to have it done professionally and we hope a better programme will attract more people."

The festival has yet to receive a penny from North Wiltshire District Council this year.

A shake-up in arts funding at the council means the jazz society will have to apply for a grant to the planning committee.

Last year the district council slashed its funding to the £8,000 festival by half, from £4,000 to £2,500, and organisers were told to expect less this year.

Mrs Poole said it was a bitter blow, as it was the district that had invited the jazz society to start the event six years ago.

An appeal by the society to save the festival attracted interest from local businesses and organisers have just received a £300 grant from Malmesbury Carnival Committee.

The response means that the festival will be held over September 12, 13 and 14.