THE region's biggest free blues festival will go ahead this summer despite the tragic death of its founder.

The 11th annual Stanley Blues Festival will be held in the County Durham former pit town on Saturday, August 2, organisers Northern Recording have confirmed.

The festival was the idea of John Kearney, founder of the Consett-based music co-operative, who died suddenly in December, aged 55.

He guided it from a low-key event with local bands and 400 fans in 1993, to a major festival showcasing top names and attracting a record 15,000 crowd from all over the UK last year.

Derwentside District Council has agreed funding for the festival and Northern Recording is working on the line-up.

Paul Green, of Northern Recording, said: "What John created at Stanley was extraordinary. He created an event celebrating the region's rich blues heritage, brought world- class acts to a small town and used the opportunity to showcase many of the region's top blues bands.

"Thousands of people who never met him have enjoyed a great day out at the festival and we intend to make sure that everything he stood for continues."

Headline acts over the years have included Peter Green, of Fleetwood Mac fame, Chicken Shack, former Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor and Paul Jones' Blues Band.

As well as putting Stanley on the musical map, the one-day event brings an estimated £500,000 into the local economy, particularly pubs, shops and hotels, and provides work for local musicians and technical crews.

Derwentside council leader Alex Watson said £30,000 was going to Northern Recording to stage the festival and the Allensford Festival, which will return over the August bank holiday weekend after a two-year break caused by the foot-and-mouth crisis.

"The Blues Festival is a marvellous occasion. It constantly features top acts and brings visitors into the area. It is good for small businesses and great for the area's regeneration.''

This year's line-up will be announced in the near future.

The event, on Kings Head Field, will run from noon to 6pm. Admission is free and on-site parking costs £3.

For further information, call Northern Recording on (01207) 507310 or visit:

www.stanleyblues.co.uk