I have just spoken to my good friend Steve Heap, who has just got back from the AFO confernce. I read him the spoof posting "News from Telford" above, and it is just that - a spoof.

Not only is it, in Steve's words, a "load of twaddle", but it is a strict rule of AFO that it never passes judgement on a festival or how it is being organised.

Steve Heap has asked me to report the truth on here, on his behalf - which is why I have departed from my recent (and future) policy of ignoring all the ill informed and often malicious nonsense which is posted on here, probably by one person who has their own private reasons for wanting Sidmouth 2005 to fail. It won't.

We will report progress at intervals, as the programme takes shape over the coming weeks and months. In time it will all be on our website, too.

In the meantime, if anyone wants to offer to help, or just be on our mailing list, do please e-mail SidmouthFolkWeek@exmouth.demon.co.uk

Thanks folks!

Tony