THE full line-up for the region's biggest brass festival has been announced.

The 10-day Durham Brass Festival returns to the city in July, with tickets on sale from this Friday.

Highlights include a tribute to Northern Soul and a unique play-along screening of the hit British film Brassed Off.

Now in its 11th year, this is the first festival under new artistic director Paul Gudgin and features brass inspired by everything from Broadway musicals to 17th Century Venice.

Yorkshire-based band Keep the Faith joins forces with North of England Champions NASUWT Riverside Band to celebrate the Northern Soul movement which swept the dancefloors in the late 60s, with arrangements of songs from The Specials, Billy Ocean, Frankie Valli, Edwin Starr and Stevie Wonder.

The festival, which opens on Friday, July 7, also features a screening of Brassed Off when brass players can bring their own instruments to the theatre to rehearse and play along with the Bafta-nominated soundtrack.

Tickets are already on sale for a number of other events, including Brass on Broadway, which sees West End stars Matt Corner and Kate Graham perform swing versions of songs from the musicals.

Other highlights include Venetian Surround Sound, where the audience will experience early surround sound in Durham Cathedral with the Cathedral Choir and His Majesty’s Sagbutts and Cornetts, while the 100th anniversary of Dizzy Gillespie will also be celebrated with American jazz trombonist Jiggs Whigham and the BBC Big Band.

For further information and tickets, visit brassfestival.co.uk.