A MUSIC festival staged for the first time last year is to make a return tonight.

The Consett Festival, which attracted 3,000 people last year, promises to be even better this time around with an extra night of music, which will see it running tonight and on the whole day on Saturday.

The show gets underway at 5pm tonight with Acoustic Friday at Consett Rugby Club, Belle Vue, Medomsley Road, in Consett.

Tomorrow will see Family Saturday run from 11am to 10pm at the same venue.

Father-of-two Brad Wilkinson, from The Promenade, Consett, who was the inspiration behind the inaugural festival in April last year, said: “It might well be bigger, although that’s not what we’re aiming for. And it will definitely be better.

“I think last year was absolutely amazing but I’m sure we can top it.”

Alongside the extra night, this year festival-goers will see a lot more changes such as many free activities for children under 13, an extra music stage, more toilets as well as both stages and the bar being placed inside marquees to protect visitors from the weather.

Tonight’s acts will include Chris Justice, Driven Serious, Gary Grainger and Friends, Gilded, Thieves and Kindred. Tickets cost £4.

Performers on Saturday will be split between two stages.

The Steel Town Music Stage features Katie Stafford, Acoustic Weller, Joe And Olly, Hannah Lamb, Meghan and Slow Moving Targets The Number One Stage will see performances by Thinman, Black Nevada, Jen Stephens and the Hiccups, Public Secret, Snakehead, Dixon Did It, Peculiar Disco Moves, The Me Me’s and The Ska-Toons Tickets for the second day cost £7 for adults, £4 for child from the age of 13-17 and child under 13 goes free.

Proceeds from this year's festival raffle – which last year topped £2000 – will go entirely to two Consett charitable organisations: St Mary's Special Needs Group in Blackhill, and Consett Phoenix Youth drama and arts group based in Consett.