THE future of Devizes Eisteddfod, one of the longest running youth music and arts festivals in the county, is to be discussed at a meeting at Dauntsey's School tonight.

The current director, Dauntsey's director of music Chris Thompson, announced his intention to stand down from the post in January and most of his committee said they would follow suit.

The pressure of arranging a competition that involved more than 1,000 young people taking part in 100 or more different classes had proved too much for the organisers, most of whom are full-time music teachers and have a full programme of work in addition to their eisteddfod commitments.

A crisis meeting in January suggested that the competition had become too complex and it would be simpler to divide it up into its separate components of speech, literature, piano, art, recorders etc, each run by its own sub-committee.

A final winners' concert, featuring the winners of the classes in each different component, could take place at the end of the year.

Now Mr Thompson says it is time to set up this new plan and has invited anyone interested in becoming involved in any of the sub-committees to come along to the meeting tonight at 6pm in the music department at Dauntsey's School in West Lavington.

For more information, contact eisteddfod secretary Greta Price on (01380) 814546.