One of the UK's biggest summer music events, the Leeds Festival, is in jeopardy after councillors refused to grant it a licence.

The three-day festival, which is expected to attract 50,000 people to see Guns 'n' Roses, Prodigy and The Strokes, could be cancelled if an appeal is not successful.

Local councillors said security plans had not been improved enough since the event - which is held in tandem with the Reading Festival - took place in 2001.

It is an emotional judgement, but I am certain will be overturned at the magistrate's court

Melvin Benn Mean Fiddler

In that year, police condemned the "mindless violence and damage" when a group of festival-goers pelted officers with stones and other missiles as the weekend drew to a close.

The acting chair of the licensing and regulatory panel at Leeds City Council, Graham Hyde, said they were given assurances that improvements would be made to the control and management of the site.

"It is clear... that these improvements were not made," he said in a statement after a meeting on Tuesday.

"The panel has no confidence that the assurances made today will be carried through and, therefore, the application is refused."

Preparations

The festival's promoters, Mean Fiddler, described it as a "bizarre" and "emotional" decision.

"The preparations for this year's event have gone well," managing director Melvin Benn said.

"The police, the fire service, the ambulance service and all the councillors have judged last year's event, rather than this year's application.

"It is an emotional judgement, but I am certain will be overturned at the magistrate's court.

"In fact, I am unsure what reason Leeds City Council will come up with to defend this bizarre decision and I am certain that Leeds Festival goers need not worry about the future of the event. It will go ahead."

Exclusive

In 2001, police officers wearing "protective equipment" were called to restore order after 30 people went on the rampage, but 13 officers were injured and some police vehicles damaged.

This year's event is due to feature an exclusive UK performance from veteran United States rockers Guns 'n' Roses, who will miss the Reading leg. Their last UK gig was in 1993.

Pulp, Muse, Ash and US acts Foo Fighters, The Offspring and Slipknot are also on the bill for the two festivals, to be held over the weekend of 23-25 August.

Reading had sold out of weekend tickets at the time of writing, but Leeds had not.