A COUNTY Durham community centre which was the hub for Northern Soul lovers is set to be remembered as part of a radio special.

From the early 1970s Newton Aycliffe Youth and Community Centre fast became known as the place to hear underground soul tunes from America.

For half of that colourful decade the Central Avenue venue achieved legendary status as The Aycliffe Youthy at a time when more established premises such as the Wigan Casino and The Golden Torch, in Stoke, attracted bus-loads of youngsters from the region.

Today (Monday, August 29) it will be celebrated in a Northern Soul and Motown Bank Holiday show on BBC Tees from 4pm until 7pm.

Presenter Paul 'Goffy' Gough will be joined by Stuart Cosgrove, Channel 4 TV presenter and author of the recently published Young Soul Rebels - A personal History of Northern Soul.

Mr Cosgrove said: "It was a really weird mix - a local youth and community centre staging all-night events. It was so rare that a youth club would do this, the word quickly spread around the country that Newton Aycliffe was the place to be.

"Youngsters from Newcastle, Middlesbrough and beyond were all regulars from the start and then in 1973 it just exploded as the all-night sessions arrived.

"What was strange was that here we were in this youth club back in the 70s, spending all night in the venue, and the caretaker with his cleaners were poised ready to mop up after a night of non-stop dancing.

"I can still picture the cleaners arriving with their mops early the following morning, waiting to sweep us all out, as buses and various forms of transport would be parked up outside waiting to take youngsters back home to different parts of the country."

The show will also feature the Motown music choices of the legendary singer and songwriter Marty Wilde.

Due to social media, there has been a recent explosion in the number of regular Northern Soul events in social clubs and community venues across the North-East.

County Durham-born DJs John Simons and Dave Brown launched their careers at the venue and later went on to work for local commercial radio station, Radio Tees, and various other stations around the country.

The DJs from the era are getting together for a reunion on Saturday, October 1, at the Rafa Club, Newton Aycliffe, from 7.30pm.