ORGANISERS of an annual festival are hoping that thousands of visitors will give a foot-and-mouth affected town a financial boost.

The Barnard Castle Meet attracts visitors from across the region every year, bringing much-needed revenue to the struggling Teesdale community.

Last year, the event was badly hit by the animal virus, with only a few events able to go ahead.

This year however, organisers are upbeat, and are predicting a big turnout to the event, which coincides with the jubilee celebrations.

Meet secretary Carmel Woodhouse said the Meet will come as a welcome boost to the dale.

She said: "This is an especially important time for the people of Teesdale and Barnard Castle, and we are hoping that there will be a really big turnout.

"There are a lot of exciting events planned, which will appeal to people of all ages.

"It has been a tough year for locals because of the foot-and-mouth crisis, but the Meet will hopefully be a great way to put the misery of the epidemic behind us."

The event gets under way at 11am, when the Meet Queen will be crowned on Scar Top. The finale will be a Scalex- tric display, in the Witham Hall.

TIMETABLE OF EVENTS

Today - 10.30am. The Meet fair begins on Scar Top.

11am: Barnard Castle Youth Band will lead the mayor, Councillor Margaret Hamilton, and her attendants from the Witham Hall to Scar Top to crown the Meet Queen.

2.30pm: "Not the Boat Race" starts from the County Bridge. The Teesdale School PTA duck race will be held after the boat race is completed.

7.30pm: The Meet variety show will be held at Glaxo Sports and Social Club, in Harmire Road.

Tomorrow - 10.30am: Darlington and District Riding Club show jumping, on the Demesnes showfield.

2pm: It's a Knockout, followed by tug-of-war and a fancy dress barrow race. There will also be steam engines running and static display on Galgate.

Monday- 7am: Car boot sale on the Demesnes.

9.30am: Pet show at Barnard Castle Rugby Club.

12.15pm: Meet procession judging at Glaxo car park.

1pm: Meet procession leaves Glaxo car park and heads towards Galgate, Horsemarket and Newgate. All roads will be closed in the town from 1pm until the procession ends.

11am to 5pm: There will be a variety of attractions on the Demesnes, including the Royal Artillery, a rock climbing wall, paint ball, a rodeo bull, quad bikes, a beer tent, bouncy slide, roundabouts and an adult bouncy castle. Durham County Fire and Rescue, the Barney Bullets dog display team and the Territorial Army will also be at the event.