THE streets of Durham will be a blaze of colour this Saturday as an expected crowd of 50,000 turns out for the 121st Miners' Gala.

About 30 bands and 60 banners from all over County Durham and beyond will head for the city's racecourse, some stopping at the Royal County Hotel to play to VIPs on the balcony, from about 9am onwards.

Speeches will take place from about 12.30pm including an address from Bolsover Labour MP Dennis Skinner.

There are four new banners - Craghead, Lumley Sixth, Durham Collieries Mechanics Trust and Ryhope. The first three will be blessed in Durham Cathedral at 3pm.

Many roads will be closed, including North Road, between 2.30pm and 4.30pm because bands will be dispersing in Neville Street.

There were complaints of 'heavy handed' policing last year but it is hoped that problems, including the use of Market Place as a dispersal point, have been resolved.

Insp Dick Dodds said some of the problems last year were due to 'a breakdown in communication' and that he did not envisage problems this year. "There were no arrests last year during the Gala itself. It's a family fun day enjoyed by lots of people. Let's just hope the weather is favourable,'' he said.

There will be extended entertainment from two stages on the racecourse.