The chairman of Keighley Gala fears the popular procession will no longer be fully policed next year.

Brian Hudson said the police told him at a meeting last month that they would not be able to provide a full complement of officers from 2010.

He said this would make it very difficult for himself and his colleagues to find enough stewards to control traffic on the day.

This year’s parade takes place on Saturday, July 4, with walkers and floats assembling in Malsis Road for a 1pm start.

But a spokeswoman for Keighley police has rejected Mr Hudson’s claim that most police cover will be withdrawn from next year.

She said: “Police have attended the first meeting of the town council where this year’s gala was discussed.

“The gala will be policed this year and no discussions have taken place to suggest that policing arrangements for the gala will change for following years.”

Operations planning officer PC Graham Jessop conceded providing personnel at events like the gala was a challenge.

“We are looking to reduce our involvement in such events because of the drain on resources,” he said.

“This is why we’re asking organisers to provide marshals. But there will always be some police involvement.”

He said last month’s gala meeting had included no warning of any major police withdrawal from 2010.

But Mr Hudson said he had a different understanding of what was said at the meeting, which took place at the St John Ambulance headquarters, in Russell Street.

He said he was told the police would no longer be able to man all the “road closed” signs along the parade’s route.

He said he was afraid volunteer stewards would not have the same authority to stop traffic as police officers.

He added the threat of having far fewer police exacerbated other ongoing problems with staging the traditional celebration.

“We’ve now been told all organisers of parades and events need to have formal training,” he said.

“We’re also desperate for new committee members at the moment.

“This year we’re shortening the parade route by about a third. It’ll move out into Oakworth Road from Malsis Road then proceed straight along Oakworth Road to High Street and the town centre.”

The funfair part of the gala will as usual be run in Victoria Park and will take place from July 3-6.