WHEN it comes to throwing a birthday bash for his girlfriend, multi-millionaire Duncan Bannatyne proved he was in a league of his own.

The entrepreneur, whose fitness empire is based in Darlington, paid thousands of pounds for Eighties legends The Human League to celebrate his partner's 40th birthday.

More than 200 guests attended the party in honour of Joanne McCue on Saturday.

The party was held in a converted warehouse beh- ind Bannatyne's Health Club, in Haughton Road, Darlington.

The former Electricity Board garage was decked out in retro-style to reflect the party's Eighties theme.

A bank of large LCD televisions added a modern twist, and showed music videos from the decade of New Romanticism.

The Human League, fronted by Eighties icon Phil Oakey, belted out old favourites such as Don't You Want Me, Mirror Man and Love Action.

Mr Bannatyne said: "Since the party, many people have contacted us to say what a great time they had. The night will be remembered for years to come.

"As we are all in the later stages of our youth, this brought us all together down memory lane and we danced and sang like never before.

"It was an honour to bring the Human League to Darlington and their performance was the highlight of the night."

Mr Bannatyne, who is worth more than £130m, rose to fame when he appeared on the BBC series The Dragon's Den. One of the guests at the party was fellow Dragon Simon Woodroffe.

Nigel Armstrong, the managing director of Bannatyne Fitness, said: "It was a fantastic night, the likes of which Darlington has never seen before.

"Everyone who attended thoroughly enjoyed the party and Duncan's hospitality.

"The Human League went down a storm and had guests partying into the night.

"I want to thank every member of the Bannatyne team who gave Joanne a birthday to remember."

The Human League, formed in 1977 in Sheffield, were one of the first of a wave of bands to break into the pop mainstream with synthesizers and electronic music. They reached number one with Don't You Want Me.