TOP name acts are flying into Teesside from Asia for this weekend's free, multi-cultural Mela festival.

Anwar Shad, who has appeared in Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Band of Gold and the film Rita, Sue and Bob Too, is jetting in from Pakistan to compere the event.

Bengali singer Tofail Ahmed is making his way from Bangladesh, where he is a household name, to Middlesbrough's Albert Park, the venue for Sunday's event.

The line-up is headed by 22-year-old singer songwriter Raghav, with Rob & E = mc, Manak E and Jeepers and the Spice Dancers, all sharing the main platform.

Mela spokesman Shamal Biswas, a Middlesbrough councillor, said headline acts and sponsors were now looking to be involved with the Mela, a turn-around for organisers, who 14 years ago battled to put together a programme and raise the the funds for it.

Councillor Biswas said: "We once struggled and had difficulty getting acts to come to Middlesbrough, but now the acts want to come here.

"It is because of the good work done establishing the Mela and because integration of society is also at its best, here in Middlesbrough.

"That is why acts want to come to the Mela; word gets around. These acts want to come where there is no problem and where people are keen to see them."

Several years ago when race riots hit Rotherham and Oldham, the Mela went ahead in Middlesbrough, unaffected and harmonious.

More than 30,000 people are expected to converge on Albert Park with coachloads of families coming from Birmingham, Manchester, Bradford, Leeds, Leicester and Edinburgh.

Coun Biswas said: "Some people get the idea that the Mela, a word which means festival, is only for Asians but it is a multi-cultural event for everyone.

"I would invite each and everyone from across the Tees Valley to come to the Mela, to make a day of it.

"This is an opportunity to taste true ethnicity, to smell and taste the food, see the fabrics and colour and enjoy good acts on stage.''

For the second year running, the Mela will have a worldwide audience because the University of Teesside is broadcasting the event live on the Internet, in partnership with local company, Onyx Internet.

In addition to webcam images and an audio feed from the main stage, those logging on can access pictures provided by roving digital photographers.

The website is www. borom ela.co.uk

Organisers are working towards making future festivals two-day events.