ONE of the stars of the South Tyneside Festival has apologised to fans after having to pull out of a star-studded show.

Brit and Mobo award-winning Lemar was scheduled to appear at the final Sunday concert of the South Shields festival, at Bents Park, on July 29.

But, due to a diary clash with a charity event, he has had to withdraw, “with extreme regret”.

However, organisers of the free concert – the final one of four – have stressed the show will go on with big names such as Heather Small and Atomic Kitten topping the bill and plans are underway to secure a replacement act to complete the line-up.

Also performing on the day is County Durham X Factor contestant Sam Lavery. The teenager appeared on the 2016 series and was eliminated at the Six Chair Challenge stage before Louis Walsh brought her back as a wildcard. She was voted off on the seventh week, but 18 months on has released her third single.

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Councillor Alan Kerr, deputy leader of South Tyneside Council with responsibility for culture and leisure, said he was disappointed Lemar could not take part but promised fans the show would be “a fantastic finale to the festival.”

“It is a shame Lemar can’t now make it but we fully understand and hope to welcome him to the Festival in the future,” he said.

“But make no mistake – this concert will be one of the best and fans are in for a fantastic day.”

The Sunday concert series is supported by BBC Newcastle 95.4FM and sponsored by Port of Tyne and Colmans Seafood Temple.

Admission to this and the three earlier concerts this summer is free of charge, but fans can choose to upgrade to a Priority Plus ticket.

Priced at £5 each, these will guarantee earlier access to the park to pick the best spot, along with access to a dedicated bar area and toilets. However, there will only be a limited number available, and they must be bought in advance.

Priority Plus tickets are available strictly on a first come, first served basis, and under- fives will be admitted free with a ticket-holding adult.

Tickets are available up to seven days before the concerts and can be purchased from Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.co.uk/southtynesidefestival or by calling 0844 844 0444.

They can also be purchased in person at Shop @ The Word in Market Place, South Shields.

For more information and full listings visit www.southtynesidefestival.co.uk or follow the social media accounts on Twitter @stynesideevents and Facebook /southtynesideevents.