LONDON, May 4: With only five weeks to go until the European Championship beg- ins. city co-ordinators are complaining that a shortage of cash could result in a missed opportunity for Britain's tourist industry, reports Reuter.

"Euro '96 is great for Britain, but it could have been even greater." said Laouise Gomez, co-ordinator for Manchester.

City 'co-ordinators said some events and amenities had been cut because of the cash shortage, such as a huge screen In Manchester, where fans could have watched games live.

"It would have been Just too expensive to make it safe. We would have needed barriers and extra security." said Gomez.

"We would have liked to see the Icing on the cake, a blaze of flags, razzmatazz...as well as the extra road signing and cleaning which will nave to be done.' she added.

Eleven sponsors have paid an estimated 4 million pounds (6 million dollars) each for advertising rights for the tournament, but each of the eight venue cities has only received grants of 12.500 pounds from the government and 20,000 pounds from the English Football Association (FA).

"It will cost at least 30.000 pounds just to clean up the

city after everyone has gone home." Gomez told the agency.

A spokesman for the De-[tartment of National Heritage DNH) said the government had earmarked 400.000 pounds for cultural events, the amount local authorities had originally asked for.

But ne admitted 300,000 pounds of the money could only be accessed if It was matched by local sponsorship.

Denise PrestAi. deputy director of Leisure Forleeds, said it had been almost Impossible

to find local sponsors who did not conflict with the major names and city councils had been loathe to pay for events and facilities for visiting fans.

John Williams, senior researcher at the Sir Norman Chester Centre for soccer studies based at Leicester University was another unhappy man with the funding.

He told Reuters, ^The local authorities have done a sterling Job with very few resources. On a national scale, the cultural programme has come very late. There has been no sense of a national programme — it all seems to be too much-of an afterthought," said Williams.

A six-a-side soccer contest for local schools will take place along with street parades, exhibitions and concerts.

Despite all the financial obstacles. organisers said there will be plenty for fans and their families to do.

Manchester is holding a Lord Mayor's Street Parade to open the tournament and will set up goal nets where fans can practice penalty shots.

A soccer museum will be opened In Leeds, where visitors will enter through a 1920's changing ropm, down a tunnel and out on to a pitch to be greeted by the deafening roar of a crowd and the smell of turf.

Liverpool will celebrate it's maritime history with a river festival on the Mersey Dur ingjune.