A FORMER North-East pit town will take centre stage today as thousands of music fans head for its annual blues festival.

The free event, at Stanley, in County Durham, is in its 11th year.

Last year, it attracted a record 15,000 crowd to the marquee on the Kings Head Field, when former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green headlined.

The organiser, Northern Recording, hopes the festival's growing reputation with blues fans from all parts of the country - plus good weather - will ensure a similar turn-out this year.

Paul Green, of the music co-operative, in Consett, said: "It is a family day out. You can get in among it in the marquee or you can sit on the grass and watch the world go by and listen to some good music.''

The festival is backed by Derwentside district and Durham county councils and boosts the local economy by thousands of pounds.

This year, the first festival since the death of its founder, John Kearney, last December, there are seven acts, starting with Teesside's Little Stevie and the Business and Tyneside's The Brendan Healy Big Band.

Lightnin' Willie and the Poorboys, from Texas, and Detroit guitar hero Marcus Malone, are the first of three US acts. The Nimmo Brothers, from Glasgow, perform an acoustic set, before Louisiana bluesman Lazy Lester takes the stage with Scotland's Blues 'n' Trouble.

Headliners are boogie and soul masters The Big Town Playboys, whose fans include Jools Holland and Eric Clapton.

The event runs from noon to 6.30pm, admission is free and parking costs £3. There is a beer tent, stalls and funfair rides.