THOUSANDS are expected at an annual festival dedicated to Britain’s best tribute bands.

The fourth Chester-le-Street Fake Festival takes place in Riverside Park on Saturday, August 6.

Organisers say ticket sales are outstripping last year’s event and they expect a huge crowd for the all-day gig.

Headlining the show will be Queen tribute act Flash, sharing the bill with the Antarctic Monkeys and Stereotonics as well as five North-east support acts.

Event organiser, Bec Evans said: “This year’s tributes are big hitters for the North East Fake Festival tour – Queen, Stereophonics and the Arctic Monkeys pull in huge audiences – everyone loves singing along to their anthems and they whip the crowd into a frenzy.

“The atmosphere inside our giant marquee is pretty incredible when we have these bands headlining our shows”.

The fifth and final support act for the show has been announced this week as Hazels, an energetic five-piece rock band from Durham who have just released their first single The Cure.

Bec Evans added: “Chester-le-Street is our biggest event on the North East tour.

“I love organising this festival because it’s in my hometown and it’s incredibly satisfying to have brought something so popular to the area.

“I don’t think there are too many music events which have such a wide appeal”.

Doors open at 12.30pm with the first act, Sean Hainey, taking to the stage at 1.15pm.

Food and drink will be available inside the festival. Tickets, priced £20 for adults, £11 for people aged 10 to 17 and free for accompanied nines and under, are available from www.fakefestivals.co.uk or Costcutter on the Garden Farm Estate and M J O’Brien’s News on Ashfield Terrace, Chester Le Street.