CONCERNS about parking and road closures during Barnard Castle's £40,000 Christmas festival have been resolved by Teesdale District Council.

Organisers are expecting 2,000 people at the event on December 15, which will include a laser show and children's lantern parade.

The district council's community services committee was concerned about parking problems and road closures.

Council chairman Councillor Newton Wood, said: "Part of the cobbled parking will be closed on that day, to make sure there is space for a band and spectators. It will mean the loss of around ten parking spaces, but if you are having an event like this, some of the parking has to go."

The laser show will project images on to the castle walls from December 13 to 15, from 4pm to 8pm each night.

The show, called The Night Before Christmas, will last ten minutes and will be repeated at half hourly intervals.

On December 15, 500 primary school pupils from Teesdale will take part in a lantern parade, leaving Bowes Museum at 4pm and moving through the town centre.

Traffic will not be allowed to travel along Newgate, Horsemarket, Lower Galgate or Scar Top during the evening while the parade is taking place.