Sam Fender and Pink concert clash to disrupt travel

Sam Fender and Pink will both perform in the North East on 10 June

Two football stadium concerts on the same night will impact travel this week, transport bosses are warning.

Sam Fender will play in Newcastle on 9 and 10 June and Sunderland will host Pink on 10 and 11 June.

About 100,000 concertgoers will attend the gigs at St James' Park and the Stadium of Light, with more than 20,000 expected to use public transport.

Crowd control, station closures and later trains will be in place, Nexus said.

The travel operator said public transport, especially on Saturday, will be "a lot busier than usual".

Metro customer service teams will be available to give travel advice and guidance at stations.

Some stations will be exit-only after specific times

Extra Metro trains will run past midnight and customers have been asked to queue patiently, as the service will be "exceptionally busy".

A "special network" of bus services will also help public transport cope with the crowds.

Concertgoers are advised to book tickets in advance and "leave extra travelling time" when going to and from St James' Park and the Stadium of Light.

Some stations, including St James' and Haymarket, will be closed to "assist with crowd control". Park Lane and Sunderland station will also be closed after 22:00 BST on Saturday.

Other stations will be exit only.

Travellers who are not going to see either gig are advised not to travel over the weekend as their journeys will still be affected.

Newcastle United fan Fender said playing the gigs at St James' Park would fulfil a "childhood dream" when he announced them last year.

His concert on Friday also coincides with the Blaydon Race when thousands of runners will take part in the six-mile run from Newcastle city centre to Blaydon in Gateshead.

Pink is perfoming at the Stadium of Light as part of her 2023 European tour.