FESTIVAL organisers encouraging visitors from far and wide to catch the last train home after an afternoon of entertainment are worried the event’s premise will be hampered by rail strikes.

The day-time music and comedy festival – named Last Train Home – will be held in six venues surrounding Darlington’s Banktop Railway Station on Saturday to celebrate the town’s rich railway heritage.

But festival organisers Tracks Darlington are concerned no one will be catching the last train to Teesside as the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) have announced strike action this weekend.

This Saturday marks the third Saturday of RMT strike affecting Northern rail services which serve Bishop Auckland, Darlington, Middlesbrough and Saltburn and connecting services to Newcastle and Whitby.

Northern confirmed it will be operating a reduced timetable “very few trains” running on Saturday evening with the final service now departing from Darlington to Middlesbrough at 5.40pm instead of the usual 10.40pm.

Musical collective founders of Tracks have secured around £15,000 of Arts Council funding to support 46 artists across six stages in St John’s Church, The Hullabaloo, The Greyhound, Hogans, Banktop Central and Legacy Skate Store.

Sarah Wilson, of Tracks, said: “We expect lots of people will come from all over the region to the festival, but with the planned rail strikes, it might have to mean they make different arrangements to get home.

“We can suggest that groups going together might be able to car-share or book taxis. There are bus services too – so it might be the last bus home rather than the last train home.

“Thankfully, anyone who has to leave on the last train will still be able to have hours of entertainment, but they may have to miss some of our headliners.

“The festival starts at 2pm in St John’s Church, Hogans, The Greyhound and Legacy Skate Store.

“We’re hoping we can run the festival again next year, so hopefully there won’t be any rail strikes then.”

Last Train Home has been supported by the Arts Council England and Creative Darlington, as well as partnership with NARC Magazine and Hilarity Bites to assemble music artists and comedians together.

Festival-goers are able to roam between venues in the Banktop area of Darlington by using a single wristband from 2pm through until around 10pm when headliners Bang Bang Romeo, PINS and The Lovely Eggs will finish their sets.

Rail services operated by London North Eastern Railway (LNER), CrossCountry and TransPennine Express will be running north to Newcastle and south to York after 10pm on Saturday from Banktop.