UNIONS and bosses will meet on Bank Holiday Monday to try to avert a rail strike that could hit two showcase rock concerts.

Tyne and Wear Metro workers plan 24-hour walkouts on Thursday, June 7, and Thursday, June 21, when Coldplay and Bruce Springsteen respectively play at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light.

The two events, along with a concert on Sunday June 24 by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, will attract up to 150,000 people in total, many from outside the region.

Hotels in Sunderland are already fully booked and the region’s economy will receive an estimated £10m boost.

The action, over a below-inflation pay rise of 1.3 per cent, will almost certainly shutdown the network.

Talks were due to start on Wednesday between Aslef, RMT and Unite and Metro operator DB Regio Tyne and Wear, an arm of the German state railway, but have been brought forward.

Meanwhile, there are plans to run 56 buses after the Colplay concert to Newcastle and the Heworth Interchange at Gateshead.

Sharon Kelly, Customer Services Director of DG Regio Tyne and Wear, said the company "remain hopeful we can resolve this dispute, because we are keenly aware of the disruption a strike will cause to passengers, the economy and image of the North-East if it goes ahead.

"As well as disrupting passengers who use Metro to get to work or out and about during the half term holiday, it will also impact on people attending the Coldplay concert at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light on Thursday night, who were planning to get there and home again by Metro."

RMT regional organiser Mickey Thompson, said workers did not ant to inconvenience passengers and hoped to resolve the diuspute.

"Hopefully, commonsense will prevail, they (the company) will come with a sensible offer and we’ll be able to resolve the current impasse."

He added: "We have made it clear that they will have to come back with a substantial offer that will pacify our members.’’ Ross Smith, director of policy at the North East Chamber of Commerce, said the concerts would be "a showcase for the region and bring in millions to the North-East economy.

"To even consider strike action on days where the region will be packed with visitors reliant on public transport - not to mention the people who use the service every day - is both irresponsible and counter-productive."

*Go North East will run extra buses to places including Durham, Washington and Newcastle for all three concerts. See www.simplygo.com Coldplay concert-goers are urged to travel early.

Public transport information is at www.nexus.org.uk