Leeds Party in the Park to start charging for tickets

Last year, the one-day music festival was attended by 70,000 people

Music fans face paying up to £10 to attend the previously free Party in the Park pop event in Leeds, the city council has said.

The festival, which last year attracted 70,000 people, is held annually at the end of July at Temple Newsam,

Tickets will cost between £5 and £10, bringing the event in line with other music events organised by the council.

Leeds City Council said the decision had been made due to "significant budget challenges".

Two years ago the council also cited budget restraints as the reason for introducing charges for Opera in the Park, a classical music concert that takes place the day before Party in the Park.

Biggest event

Adam Ogilvie, the council's executive member for leisure and skills, said it had been resisting the introduction of charges for years but had been forced into the decision.

"We have worked hard to keep prices as low as we can," he added.

Before this announcement, Leeds' Party in the Park had been the UK's biggest annual free outdoor pop event.

The festival is organised by Leeds City Council and 96.3 Radio Aire, a local commercial radio station.

Previous acts included JLS, One Direction and Dizzee Rascal.

The line-up for this year's festival will be announced in the next few weeks.