Proms comes to the North-East

Middlesbrough's newly revamped Centre Square will host 7,000 music lovers - and a television audience running into millions - in September.

The event, with the Northern Sinfonia Orchestra, will be linked to events nationwide-including the world-famous Last Night of the Proms concert held in the Albert Hall in London.

A lengthy campaign to bring the event to the town was spearheaded by local opera singer Suzannah Clarke.

She said: "This will be one of the most important musical events which has ever taken place in the region. We have succeeded in persuading the BBC to come here because they were so impressed by the level of support right across the area.

"Now we have confirmation, we can get down to the huge amount of detailed planning required for an event of this scale. I am sure that it will be a tremendous spectacle, especially as it will take place in the heart of the town and against the backdrop of the superb new mima art gallery."

The event will be presented by Matthew Davies, BBC Radio Cleveland's Breakfast show host.

Nick Kenyon, director of BBC Proms and Live Events said: "We are delighted to welcome the Tees Valley as a new host for BBC Proms in the Park in 2007. Over the last few years the famous Last Night of the Proms has expanded to provide a great celebration of music-making around the nations of the UK, and we are very pleased that Middlesbrough will be at the heart of this year's event.

"The level of public support for the bid has been very impressive and we look forward to working together."

Middlesbrough Mayor Ray Mallon added: "We want to create a calendar of cultural and community events which will attract people from all over the region. I am delighted that we are hosting Proms in the Park. It will be an ideal opportunity to showcase the town."

Further details of the line-up, ticket prices and booking information will be available after the official BBC Proms season launch on April 25, via bbc.co.uk/proms