MTV - VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS PARTIES WASHED OUT BY TROPICAL STORM

Organisers of this weekend's (28AUG05) MTV Video Music Awards in Miami, Florida have been forced to cancel pre-show activities at the trendy Doubletree Surfcomber Hotel tonight (25AUG05) due to storm warnings.

Parties and performances planned at the hotel, which is being dubbed Hotel MTV this weekend, were scrapped after organisers were told that tropical storm Katrina could wreck proceedings.

MTV spokesman GRAHAM JAMES explains planners are monitoring the progress of Katrina, which looks set to strike south Florida tomorrow (26AUG05) - but insists most pre-show events scheduled for Friday and Saturday will go ahead.

He says decisions on functions would be made on "an event-by-event basis," depending on how bad the weather is.

James doesn't expect Sunday's awards show to be affected by the storm: "We're hoping it misses us completely."

Among the festivities still planned at the hotel are performances by BLACK ROB and rockers THE BRAVERY, as well as a Friday night party to celebrate the release of RICKY MARTIN's new album LIFE.