BALMY weather, free-flowing champagne and the incredible voice of diva Lesley Garrett combined for an unforgettable night at Durham County cricket ground on Saturday.
More than 4,000 hamper-laden fans braved the fuel crisis to enjoy the first major non-cricket event at the Riverside ground, Chester-le-Street.
Organised by the Lord's Taverners Northumberland and Durham Committee, to celebrate their 50th birthday, the night saw the down-to-earth soprano put in a stunning vocal performance.
Music buffs queued from early afternoon to make sure they got a good pitch on the club's turf, before enjoying turns from the Virtuoso Jazz Quintet and Chester-le-Street Civic Choir.
As darkness descended, Lesley Garrett took to the stage and performed a repertoire ranging from the world of opera, including arias from Puccini, Dvorak and Bizet, through to the music of Gershwin and Rodgers.
Leaving the stage she said: "It was a blast - I had the time of my life. The most wonderful part was the audience - and, of course, it didn't rain."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article