Pinner's traditional fair looks destined to be axed for the first time in nearly 700 years - with only weeks left to find the money to fund it.

Every year since 1336 Pinner Fair has gone ahead in some capacity.

But with running costs in excess of £45,000 the historical family fixture is desperately in danger of being dropped from the calender.

Since the 14th Century the fair has been protected by Royal Charter giving organisers the right to run the event on the first Wednesday after May Bank Holiday.

However, the Showmen's Guild, which runs it, are threatening to pull out because it is struggling to stump up the cash - needed to pay for road closures, health and safety checks and the removal of street fittings like bollards and bus stops.

The fair was threatened with a similar fate last year before Harrow Council agreed to shoulder some of the costs but there seems little chance it will step in to save it again because of its own financial state.

Councillor Susan Hall (Conservative) has been in constant discussions with the Guild but admits the future of the fair is looking increasingly bleak.

The deputy leader of the council said: "Having tried to negotiate with them we have found that they want the council to pay the full costs, which we simply can't afford to do.

"At the end of the day they are making money out of doing it and we can't afford to use tax payers money to help even subsidise it.

"We only agreed to help out last year on the condition that they found a sponsor to help in the future but they haven't done anything about it.

"We asked them to sort it out early on but like everyone at the moment they are being pushed financially.

"This could very well be bad news for the fair but these kind of things are in decline because less and less people go to them."

A spokeswoman for The Showmen's Guild merely said: "We haven't yet come to a conclusion but negotiations are ongoing."