REVELLERS were plunged into darkness after a power cut struck a popular Darlington music venue shortly after midnight on New Year's morning.

When a main fuse blew at The Forum in Borough Road at 12.15am, partygoers thought their night was over.

Rock band The Shinning were unable to play, tills had stopped working and only the emergency lighting was in operation.

But staff at the venue were determined the blackout was not going to ruin the evening for the remaining 180 guests.

Quick-thinking workers were able to hook up the drum kit and a makeshift stage near the bar so the band could play on by feeding electricity from another part of the building.

Bar staff operated tills manually and had to use mental arithmetic to add up prices

General manager Jennifer Laycock, said: "Everybody was very patient while we hooked up the stage and The Shinning did an absolutely fantastic job of turning the crowd around. Everyone crowded into the bar. I think it made the atmosphere even better."