The first Saturday in August, every year from 1993 to 2007.

Sadly, we regret to announce that the Stanley Blues Festival, the music event that featured international performers and attracted fans from all over the country will not be staged again. Despite our best efforts with funding bodies, potential sponsors and looking at ways of generating income on the day, it is not possible to put together a funding package that would allow the event to take place.

The following statement was released to the press:

Some of the biggest names in blues and blues-influenced music have played at Stanley, including former Rolling Stone Mick Taylor, ex-Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green, The Blues Band, Stan Webb, The Yardbirds, the Climax Blues Band and former Dr Feelgood guitarist Wilko Johnson.

As well as leading contemporary US acts, the festival also showcased local talent, most notably Chester-le-Street rock singer-guitarist Pete Shoulder who was the festival's youngest performer.

The festival was founded by Northern Recording, a music co-operative formed by unemployed former Consett steelworkers, which itself closed through lack of funding support in 2005.

From the beginning the philosophy was to stage an event that anyone could attend, so there was never an admission charge.

The festival relied on funding from councils and outside bodies but securing the money each year was always a problem.

Last year The Arts Council decided that the event was of insufficient priority and Durham County Council stepped in to underwrite the shortfall.

Paul Green and Mary Kearney, whose late husband John was regarded as the father of the festival, have organised the event in the past few years.

Mr Green said: "It has become more and more expensive to stage the blues festival and we have reached the point where we have exhausted all the possibilities for fundraising.

"There is a lot of goodwill for the festival, but we needed more than that.

"We would like to pay tribute to the team who has worked tirelessly over the years. Companies like Nitelites, Vortex Lighting and Event Cover have really supported us in our aim of showcasing just how good we are here in the North East. We set out to make an event that would give local bands a platform and we have stuck with that aim over 15 years.

"Along the way we have created an internationally-known festival that puts the town on the map for all the right reasons. We would like to thank those who have supported it, particularly all the local people who have been the festival's biggest fans.''

Mrs Kearney said: "This has been a hard decision to make and I'm sure that it will come as a big disappointment to many people.

"We are proud to have organised the blues festival over the past 15 years and to have brought so many great musicians to perform in Stanley."

paul.green@stanleyblues.co.uk

crowd