THE town dubbed "sleepy Ledbury" after efforts to mark the Millennium were hit by apathy, risks a repeat over the Queen's Golden Jubilee next year.

A public meeting held this week to discuss how Ledbury should celebrate the landmark in June failed to spark the imagination of townsfolk - not a single member of the public turned up.

The sole attenders at the Burgage Hall on Tuesday were five members of the town council.

Ledbury mayor Phil Bettington said: "I was not altogether surprised in some respects, because the meeting was only publicised with some posters around town. Perhaps we should have put out a press release."

The lack of reaction revived memories of the debacle preceding the Millennium, when no plans could be finalised for an official celebration, leading the town to be derided in some quarters.

But Coun Spencer Lane pointed out that although no official Millennium celebration was held on the night itself, the subsequent town visit to the Millennium Dome proved a great success.

Undiscouraged, Coun Bettin-gton has proposed that the town council should send mailshots to every household in Ledbury asking whether an official celebration should be held and if so, what form it should take.

Sending apologies to the meeting via a letter, former mayoress Gill Jupp made a number of suggestions, including a street party with a band playing the hits of the years 1952-2002.

It is an idea she said might "appeal to all generations".

Other suggestions included the baking of a giant jubilee cake, which could be cut by the mayor before being distributed among the people, and a balloon race, which could be used to raise money for local causes such as the hospital.

Coun Peter Harling said the parish church was planning a flower festival next summer as part of its golden jubilee celebrations.

And Coun Bettington added that Tom Deane, the chairman of Ledbury in Bloom, had proposed the planting of 50 oaks, one for each year of Queen Elizabeth's reign.