LIVE music returns to the Allen Valleys next month with one of the last festivals of the year.

Allen Valleys Folk Festival is one of the highlights of the North East’s music calendar, bringing together both established and up-and-coming names from the genre.

The event is now in its ninth year.

Festival chairman Peter Aldcroft said: “This year’s line-up has broad appeal with a mix of styles from traditional folk to world music.

"Saturday headliners include Tiwiza, a band steeped in African tradition but with a modern, driving rock spirit, and Balkan Hot Club, whose pulsating style has been wooing festival goers throughout the UK.”

The organisers have also booked folk duo The Rheingans Sisters on Saturday evening and Talisk, one of Scotland’s most popular folk groups, who close the festival on Sunday afternoon. Both acts are past winners of the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

Running from Friday, September 23 to Sunday, September 25, acts will appear at various venues in Allendale town including The King’s Head, The Golden Lion, the Village Hall and the picturesque St Cuthbert’s Church. The festival’s popular workshop programme will be announced later this month.

Dance is also featured with Hexham Morris, Hadrian Clog and the unique Nordestinos performing their routines in the market square on Saturday afternoon.

The outdoor climax of the evening will be the burning of another unique wooden sculpture representing the legendary Allendale Wolf.

Tickets for the festival are £75 for a weekend pass with individual artists from £15. The Saturday family ceilidh ticket is £10 with under 18’s free. For more information or to buy tickets visit www.avff.co.uk.