A MILITARY band will undergo a tough inspection tomorrow night when it performs at a Last Night of the Proms concert in the region.

The King's Division Waterloo Band will open the proms concert at Darlington's Dolphin Centre at 7pm.

As well as entertaining an audience from throughout the North-East, the band will be closely scutinised by inspecting officer Lieutenant Colonel Geoffrey Kingston, principal director of the music in the Army.

Before 1998, military bands were inspected in their regimental barracks, but now all the musicians are examined while they perform in concert.

The King's Division Waterloo Band was the first band in the country to be inspected in concert and that examination took place in Darlington at a concert at the Dolphin Centre.

The band will be scruitinised on musical expertise and interpretation, performance and preparation, at a rehearsal before the show.

As well as the performance from the Waterloo Band, a massed choir of 200 singers from the North-East will take to the stage.

Sanaz Lavasani, winner of the Young Soprano of the Year competition, supported by The Northern Echo will also perform, as will the Tees Valley 2000 Pipes and Drums.

The event will end with traditional audience participation and singing of Rule Britannia.

Tickets for the event can be bought from The Dolphin Centre, Williams Music Shop and The Northern Echo, all in Darlington.

Tickets are also still available for the Promenade for Youth which is taking place at the Dolphin Centre tonight.