MUSIC acts greeted revellers off the trains at Bank Top Station in Darlington on Saturday as part of the second year of a music and comedy festival.

The Last Train Home festival is held in venues around the station to allow those attending to get the last train back.

People from as far afield as Sheffield and Hull travelled to Darlington to see headliners such as rock band Pigs x7, She Drew the Gun, and the Lake Poets.

This year, the Forum music centre hosted a music stage and a comedy stage, while nearby children's theatre The Hullabaloo played host to Noisy Daughters, a stage for women's music, and a Hip Hop stage in its main bar.

Acoustic and folk artists performed in St John's Church nearby, while there was another stage in Hogan's bar, close to the station.

Organiser Sarah Wilson said the idea of the festival was to allow it to finish in time for people to get the last train back.

She estimated that about 300 or 400 people attended, and is hopeful it will grow each year.

This year it received Arts Council and Darlington Borough Council funding and it is hoped it will continue as an annual event.

MUSIC and comedy fans are being urged to get the 'Last Train Home' and enjoy a night of top quality entertainment.

Darlington music collective Tracks has pulled together a comprehensive list of more than 50 performers who will be taking to one of seven stages scattered across the town.

Organisers of the Last Train Home festival said the idea for the festival sprang from the oft-quipped remark that people always miss headliners at local festivals, or don’t go at all, down to the fact they have to catch an early train back.

In response to the problem, they decided to create a festival which not only celebrates the rich railway heritage of Darlington and the quality of its transport links, but has the event finish early enough that everyone can enjoy the full day.

This will be the second year for the festival, with last year’s bringing artists from all over the UK to town, with some travelling from as far afield as Glasgow and Southampton, with plenty of talent arriving from closer to home.

Sarah Wilson, of Tracks, said: "Being able to bring headliners such as Liverpool’s psych-pop band She Drew The Gun, Newcastle’s heavy rockers Pigsx7 and the stunningly beautiful The Lake Poets to Darlington is so exciting.

"Our choice of headliners reflects the diversity of the festival and indeed the wide variety of venues we use."

The Northern Echo:

Pigsx7 will be performing at Last Train Home festival in Darlington Picture: Janina Sabaliauskaite

Rob Irish, also of the music collective added: "We're in love with the idea of creating an environment in which people can see really high quality artists, in intimate and perhaps unexpected places. Last year we had Bang Bang Romeo perform in a small working man's church here in Darlington to a modest audience, and not only was it an incredible experience to be a part of, but the band are now touring with P!nk."

Tickets for the festival on Saturday, September 7, are £15 in advance or £20 on the day. They are available online from tracksdarlington.co.uk

They can also be bought in person from The Forum in Darlington or by calling 01325-363135.