YOUNG musicians hope to take their peers' minds off impending exam results when they take to the stage next weekend.

Durham youth organisation One Way Cafe is holding a mini-festival that will showcase the talents of five up-and-coming local teenage rock bands on Saturday, at the Abbey Leisure Centre, Newton Hall.

The event, called The Big Thing, will be held between 4pm and 8pm and will feature the groups, Skin Trench, Mr Pan the Monkey Man, Epo-crathy, Lack of John and Scar Dar's.

The event is being staged with the backing of leisure centre staff, Durham City Council and the Neil Griffin Opportunity for Youth Trust, which was launched by a former mayor to provide opportunities for local youngsters.

A spokesman for One Way Cafe said: "Most of these bands are still at school or have recently sat exams.

"The idea of this festival is to provide a distraction for those nerves that are around when GCSE and A-Level results may be occupying the minds of the candidates.''

Tickets for the festival cost £2 in advance or £2.50 at the door. They are available from the leisure centre or by e-mail at Stephen