A CAFE hosted a sell out concert as part of a long term initiative to breathe new life into a previously deprived area of town.

The afternoon event at The Coffee Stop, Railway Road, Leigh featured music from Virginia Kettle & the Dreamkeepers.

The audience also heard readings given by  Kate Pashley and David Williams from the Paperback Writers collective, which meets at the premises every Wednesday between 10.30am and 12.30pm.

Event organiser Jules McKiernan said: "The event was a sell out (40 attending) and is only the latest in a range of small scale gigs offered at the cafe in the last few months.  

"The Coffee Stop is run by Neil Fallows in an attempt to start a small scale cultural revolution in Railway Road. 

"We all know that the street has suffered since the college closed but the Local Neighbourhood Project and other businesses like Neil's are trying to inject some life back into that area of the town.

She added: "The cafe is fast beginning a community hub with other groups regularly meeting there including a baby massage group, a sculpture class and the Leigh Canal Festival planning committee."

For more information on upcoming events e-mail juleswriter@hotmail.com.