A HEAVY metal band which is credited with influencing music giants Metallica and Megadeth are to headline a music festival in County Durham.

Diamond Head are playing in the North-East at the Blitzallica Festival at Shildon’s Civic Hall.

Brian Tatler, who helped to set up the group in 1976, is to appear on stage as part of the five piece band in October.

The concert is one of the band’s first gigs in the North-East for many years.

They are to be joined on stage by five other bands including Old Corpse Road, from Darlington, and Holosade, of Bishop Auckland.

Promoter Paul Evans said: “This concert is a must for hard rock and heavy metal music fans and it will be unlike anything Shildon has seen before.

“I would expect a good level of interest for this, especially when you consider that Metallica are big fans of Diamond Head, and a sell-out event.”

Completing the festival line-up in Shildon are the Dumpy’s Rusty Nails, The Amourettes and The Side Project.

The concert is being held to help to raise funds to back the work of the Great North Air Ambulance in the region.

The audience is invited to don heavy metal costumes for the festival which will open with the Randy Mandy Rock Disco.

The Blitzallica Festival starts at 4pm on Saturday, October 25, and Diamond Head are set to take to the stage at about 10pm for a two hour session.

Tickets are £20 and they can be obtained now from the Civic Hall on 01388-772902 or online at shildoncivichall.co.uk