DOZENS of bands have signed up to an all-day charity music festival that will take over venues across Darlington.

Preparations are well underway for Oxjam Darlo 2014, which will see more than 40 bands performing in the town.

Organisers are hoping to attract hundreds of revellers to the festival on Sunday, October 12.

Tickets, priced at £8, are already on sale online, with all proceeds to Oxfam.

Town centre venues backing the fundraiser include Seen, Avalon, Voodoo Cafe, the Quakerhouse, the Pennyweight and the Forum Music Centre.

A launch party for the festival will be held at the Forum on Thursday, September 4.

Admission to the launch party will be free, with three live bands providing a taster of what is to come.

Other fundraising events are also planned, including a black tie ball at Bannatyne Hotel on September 26.

Takeover manager Chris Jenkins said: "We had 35 bands confirmed at the last count and will be confirming at least another ten in the next couple of weeks.

"We aim to have our line-up complete by the launch party."

Bands confirmed so far include King Mojo, Abel Raise The Cain, Acoustic Weller, John and the Ragmen, No Fun, Last Rough Cause, Lifetime Skiver, Puce Wallpaper, Weekend Sun, Silent Houses and Goy Boy McIlroy.

Mr Jenkins added: "All the bands are giving up their time for free, in some cases it is even costing them to take part.

"The venues are giving us door supervisors and PA systems.

"We have not really got a fundraising target in mind at this stage, Oxfam has not set us a target.

"I think the minimum they would like us to raise is £4,000, but we would like to raise a lot more than that."

As someone with a passionate interest in music, Mr Jenkins has always wanted to put on a festival.

He is organising the Oxjam takeover in his spare time, alongside his day job working for EE in Darlington.

He added: "I have been given this fantastic opportunity to put on a multi-venue music festival in Darlington.

"I have recruited a full team of co-ordinators to help put on this event, and we hope to make it a huge event for Darlington, all the venues, bands, artists and people involved, and of course for Oxfam."

For tickets, visit tiny.cc/OxjamDarloTickets

A full list of the bands taking part can be found on the festival's Facebook page, search for Oxjam Darlo, or follow @oxjamdarlo on Twitter.