PEOPLE wanting to watch the North-East public screening of tomorrow's Live8 concert are being urged to get their tickets now.

Gateshead International Stadium is one of eight venues across the country chosen to host a big screen showing TV coverage of the star-spangled event for the anti-African poverty campaign.

About 650 of the 3,000 free tickets are still available and would-be-concert-goers are being advised to get them in advance.

A spokeswoman for Gateshead Council said yesterday: "There were about 1,500 tickets left yesterday and now there are about 650, so people should get their tickets as soon as possible to avoid disappointment."

People have to collect tickets - they cannot be booked by telephone - from Gateshead Visitor Centre, St Mary's Church, between 9am and 5pm today and from 10am tomorrow.

They are also available from the stadium itself today, between 7.30am and 10.30pm, and tomorrow, from 8am.

Tomorrow, doors open at noon and the concert, which features mega-stars such as Sir Paul McCartney, Elton John and U2, begins an hour later and finishes at 10pm.