NEWPORT could join forces with Cardiff and Swansea to organise a community festival - attracting thousands of people into the city.

The Newport and Gwent Pakistan Association is planning a one-day festival which they want to hold at the end of next month or beginning of April.

Members have already secured a £5,000 lottery grant to stage the free event at Maindee Primary School and they are looking for £15,000 in donations from local residents and businesses so it can go ahead.

To help their fundraising efforts, the group has just secured charity status and is hoping to organise the extravaganza with the help of a similar organisation in Cardiff and the Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector Organisations (CEMVO) in Swansea Chairman Mian Nasim Ahmed Babur said the festival would include traditional Pakistani dress, music, food and dance.

And the 74-year-old hopes groups from other religions will also take part.

He is also is looking to involve local schools in the festival and has written to Pakistani television stations in Britain in a bid to attract sponsorship and TV coverage.

"We were waiting to become a registered charity and now that we have, we will be pushing to raise £15,000," said Mr Babur.

"We are appealing for people to donate cash because the size of the festival depends upon how much money we can raise.

"It's not a religious festival but a community festival. We are appealing for Asian musicians to volunteer to take part as well as groups from all religions.

"Our aim is to organise a festival to embrace the whole community. A similar Pakistani group in Cardiff has been in touch to help out and Cemvo in Swansea has also contacted us.

"We have the chance to organise something which the whole community can enjoy."

To pledge money phone 01633 223464 or 255727.