The world of amateur league has been thrown into confusion on the eve of the new season, with all tomorrow's Pennine League programme being called off.

Clubs are reeling from the news that fees to BARLA have increased almost four times for the season, mainly because of a dramatic rise in insurance premiums.

Fees per team have gone up to around £528, with £291 for public liability insurance, £155 for personal accident and £82 registration fees.

Pennine League chairman David Ingham, from Keighley, said: "Clubs were informed on August 18 of the new fees and it has come as rather a bombshell to everybody.

"Insurance for clubs has virtually quadrupled this year. There are several reasons for the big increase - September 11, many insurance companies have amalgamated or been taken over so there is less choice, and there have been far more claims."

The situation has been made worse with the recent decision of the Yorkshire Junior League to opt out of BARLA's insurance scheme and to secure their own policy.

This involves a total of 256 clubs at under-eight to under-15 level and drastically reduces the number of clubs paying into the BARLA policy.

It could mean the remaining clubs have to pay even more to make up the shortfall.

A special emergency meeting has been called for Sunday at Huddersfield to consider four options.

These are:

l To ask clubs to absorb the shortfall

l To cancel the group public liability insurance and leave clubs to arrange their own policies

l To consider a new policy from the current insurers at a reduced rate per club

l To take out a policy with another insurance company.

Added Ingham: "The whole season is up in the air until a decision is made. Some clubs may be forced to reduce the number of teams they run because of the extra expense, but we are hoping to avoid that.

"A team like Elland, who were the outstanding club last season and run 13 or 14 teams, would obviously be badly hit.

"I think the third option of a reduced rate policy from AIG could well be the favoured one, but it is up to the meeting."