A PRIMARY school left thousands of pounds out of pocket when a festival promoter went into administration has been thrown a lifeline.

Kingham Primary School was promised £14,000 after organising the Friday night entertainment at the Alex James presents Harvest Festival in September.

But when organisers Big Wheel Promotions went into administration, the school was still owed £7,000 – money meant to pay for the school’s music teacher.

Now jazz outfit the Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band and Juliet Harbutt, chairman of the British Cheese Awards, have both offered to put on events in aid of the school.

Chairman of the governors Kate Woodward said: “The band have always been really loyal and supportive, and headlined our Commotion Festival in 2010.

“When they heard we hadn’t had half our money they understood what that implies for us – we are hand-to-mouth and we really need every penny.”

The festival was held at former Blur member and cheesemaker Alex James’s farm, although the star was not involved in organising the event.

Mrs Woodward said she still felt optimistic that Big Wheel would pay the money owed to the school.

She said: “I don’t feel they should be let off paying us just because we have these events happening.”

In 2010, the school’s Commotion Festival raised about £25,000, which went to the school’s music department and to charities including CLIC Sargent and Support for the Sick Newborn and their Parents at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford.

The school organised the bands at Harvest instead of putting on a standalone Commotion event.

The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band will perform at Chipping Norton Town Hall on Friday, December 9, at 8pm, with tickets for £15.

Bandleader Stuart Macbeth said they were “disappointed and angry” the school had not been paid.

He said: “We get asked to do a lot of charity shows and we can’t take up every offer but this was something we really wanted to help with.”

Mrs Harbutt will host a cheese and wine masterclass – with a speed dating theme – on Friday, January 13, at a location to be confirmed. She said: “If we raised £1,500 to £2,000, it would not be as much as they need but it would be a good step forward.”

Big Wheel Promotions did not return the Oxford Mail’s calls.