Thousands of children visiting Neath Port Talbot for next year's Urdd Eisteddfod are being warned against staying with host families because new strict criminal records checks can't be carried out on them in time.

Youngsters visiting the area for the Welsh language festival in Margam Park will instead have to stay in hotels and guesthouses close to the park.

The move comes after new Government guidelines on vetting people who look after children were toughened up.

It advises checks should be made on all people, including volunteers who are seeking positions which would bring them into contact with children.

Until now Eisteddfod organisers have always arranged for children to stay with host families. But from now on they will no longer be offering the service and are writing to schools this week to tell them of the changes.

Around 15,000 youngsters are expected to take part in the Urdd in May 2003 which is the biggest youth festival in Europe.

Although not all will be staying overnight, traditionally young people travelling a long distance relied on hospitality from local people.

They would usually go in pairs to be housed with families with other youngsters their age living in the area. But now the strict criminal records checks will make it hard for children to stay in private homes without adults having full checks.

Chief executive Jim O'Rourke said today: "In the past we have gone through schools, social services and local contacts to house the children but it is not possible to ensure everybody has gone through the requirements of the police checks within the timetable."