A TOWN is gearing up to celebrate an off-beat New Year's Day tradition.

When eight men from Chester-le-Street decided to take to the stage to imitate rock stars on January 1, 25 years ago, nobody guessed it would become one of the town's biggest events of the year.

The performance draws crowds of at least 2,000 people from across the region.

The act, a tribute to bands from the Bee Gees to the Spice Girls, lasts as long as the audience wants and raises thousands of pounds for charity.

Billy Walton, owner of Crocodillos, the venue for the concert, said: "It's just eight blokes, they've all got normal day jobs.

"The doors open about midday and then they might go and do an act at about 2pm, there's no strict rules. They make most of it up. They've been doing this act since they were about 20-years-old and they're all about 45 now."

Mr Walton, who donates a large part of the bar's takings to the fundraising, said he hopes the event will raise about £10,000 for North-East Children's Cancer Research