THOUSANDS of holidaymakers from across the country headed to the North-East yesterday to attend Newcastle's Asian Mela festival.

And thousands more are expected to flock to the city's Exhibition Park today to enjoy the festival which celebrates Asian music and dance.

Altogether, more than 25,000 are expected to have enjoyed the seventh Mela festival by the end of today.

The event, organised by the Asian Arts and Music Project and Newcastle City Council, has grown year by year to become a major feature of the British Asian cultural calendar