JUST when you thought you'd heard the last of the millennium celebrations, plans are afoot to mark it all over again.

Europe's premier party city, Newcastle, has been given a £140,000 grant to make sure the end of the year 2000, as well as the beginning, goes with a bang.

Millennium chiefs decided to give the city a large chunk of National Lottery cash after last year's event, which attracted 150,000 revellers.

The Millennium Commission has allocated £6m to 32 towns and cities across the UK to stage events to mark the close of 2000 - including Middlesbrough, which receives £37,000.

Newcastle City Council bosses are hoping the New Year spectacular will become an annual event to rival Edinburgh's world famous celebration.

Trevor Wood, a spokesman for the city council, said: "After last year's event, which was a huge success, they obviously believe we can do the same again. It won't be as spectacular as last year, of course, but it's still going to be an awfully big party that proves Newcastle is one of the best places in the world to be on New Year's Eve."

This year's bash is expected to cost around £560,000, with the council coughing up £150,000 and the rest coming from sponsorship.

Events pencilled in include a family-oriented party at the Haymarket, the highlight of which will be an early evening procession by Germany's internationally-renowned Theatre Titanick.

There will be street theatre and music stages at the Quayside, which will be transformed into a giant auditorium with films projected across the Tyne onto a 250 sq metre screen on Gateshead Quay.

Meanwhile, Middlesbrough's celebrations will include a host of local bands, a circus, street theatre, an ice rink, fairground and a spectacular fire display