TICKETS for a free festival in the North-East are being sold on an Internet auction site for up to £200 - and could be fake.

Touts are using computer technology to rake in huge amounts for passes to the Radio 1 Big Weekend at Herrington Park, near Sunderland, next month.

Music fans queued throughout Friday and Saturday nights at Sunderland Civic Centre to get tickets to see headline acts including The Foo Fighters, The Chemical Brothers, Jamiroquai, Gwen Stefani and Basement Jaxx.

All 15,000 tickets for each day were snapped up within hours.

The offices were forced to open early after authorities feared for public safety when thousands of people flocked to the city centre to secure entry to the festival, which takes place on May 7 and 8.

Yesterday, more than 50 people were offering pairs of tickets on Internet auction site eBay.

A Radio One spokeswoman condemned the touts. She said: "We think it is a real shame that people feel the need to benefit financially from what is supposed to be a free festival with a great line-up.

"It is a pity for all the people who did queue up and were disappointed when they could not get tickets.

She warned fans against buying tickets over the Internet.

She added: "We want people to be aware that some of the tickets on the auction site will be fakes, and if they buy them they will not be able to get in on the day.

"We would urge people to keep listening to Radio 1, because we are doing competitions and giving away free tickets to the festival, so all is not lost."

Ebay declined to comment.