A POP festival on the banks of the River Wear has overcome official concerns about underage drinking and anti-social behaviour.

A temporary marquee at the Riverside Park at Chester-le-Street, County Durham, near the home of Durham County Cricket Club, will be the venue for the one-day event featuring professional tribute bands playing the music of leading pop and rock groups, and aspiring local bands.

The 12-hour event will run until midnight on Saturday, August 3.

Promoter Fake Festivals, based in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. puts on similar concerts around the country.

Its plans for the Chester-le-Street event so far include a line-up of bands that play the music of big-selling acts Coldplay, Kings of Leon and The Killers.

The company has won licenses for the event after addressing concerns from the police and health professionals.

Durham County Council's statutory licensing sub-committee today (Tuesday, April 9) today gave its permission after hearing that the firm had agreed to licensing conditions to ensure a trouble-free event. T

he police and Anna Lynch, Durham County Council's director of public health, had raised objections over the potential for underage drinkers to get served in a bar on the site and for drunk concert-goers to cause trouble.

Councillors heard that the marquee would have a capacity for 1,000 people and that a compound manned by approved security workers would be erected.

Fake Festivals have agreed to various conditions about the operation of the event to overcome the objections, including not letting in anyone who is, or appears to be, drunk and operating Challenge 25 to ensure that anyone underage does not buy drink.

Jez Lee, of Fake Festivals, said: "The festival is aimed at the locals to enjoy a day out together and socialise with families and friends."