TICKETS were being sold at the Teesside's troubled Arc venue just 20 minutes before it closed, it was revealed last night.

Stockton musician Jimmy Gatenby, who was due to perform with the "fifth" Beatle, Pete Best, tonight, bought £50 worth of tickets for friends and family to watch the show, just 20 minutes before the Arc closed its doors on Tuesday.

The father-of-two said he was devastated when Arc staff phoned him, just after his wife had returned with the tickets, to tell him the venue was closing straight away and he would not be able to perform.

Mr Gatenby, a restaurant manager from Oxbridge, Stockton, had won a competition to find a local musician to support Pete Best when he performed at the Arc.

He said: "My wife came back and I was on the phone being told Arc was closed and I would not be performing with Pete Best.

"I felt really sorry for the girl from the Arc who had to tell me. She was in tears herself.

"My mother lives in Spain and she's got a flight over here just to see me on stage, but I can't contact her to say it isn't on, so I think she is on her way. It is such a waste."

Pete Best's agent, Chris Cavanagh, was told late on Tuesday the show was cancelled.

He said: "I have never known anything like this happen before.

"Pete wants to express his deepest sympathy to all the staff at the Arc who have lost their jobs.

"He also wants to mention Jimmy Gatenby. Pete believes he has a great untapped talent and should be given a second chance."

He said that Pete Best would be returning to the North-East for a show as part of his tour next year