YORK'S first major dance event in a decade will go ahead this weekend - but must finish two hours earlier because of local opposition.

Council officers have ordered the organisers of Sunday Secrets, being staged in a 900-capacity marquee at Huntington Stadium, Monks Cross, to stop at 10pm instead of midnight on Sunday, because of local worries over noise and traffic.

Phil Caine, organiser of the £16-a-ticket club night which kicks off at 3pm, said today he was "over the moon" and accepted the compromise.

Sunday Secrets will feature seven well known DJs including JFK, Rob Tissera and Sarah G, and has been advertised to clubbers across the country.

It is believed to be the first such major dance event to be staged in York since Galactica was held on Knavesmire in 1992.

Mr Caine said: "I'm absolutely over the moon.

"Obviously I'm a bit disappointed about having to finish at 10pm, but I can understand the council's reasons.

"I hope we can prove people wrong about a few things and restore a bit of faith in the dance music scene."

Mr Caine said the DJs would play slightly shorter sets because of the time restriction.

A spokesman for City of York Council said the event would be closely monitored by officers on the night. He said: "Clearly we've tried to reconcile the views of residents and the organisers of the event.

"There is a lot a concern about the noise so we've restricted it from 3pm to 10pm.

"We're satisfied that all the necessary arrangements have been made by the organisers."

Huntington parish and city councillor Peter Vaughan said today he was "disappointed" that residents' concerns about noise and traffic had not been fully taken into account.

He told the Evening Press: "We won't know until Sunday whether the organisers are going to be sufficiently in control of the noise and traffic to justify this compromise.

"It's a very big risk to be taking in such a residential area. This should be taking place on the Knavesmire.

"I shall be going there on Sunday night to see it for myself."

Mr Caine says he originally wanted to stage Sunday's dance on Knavesmire, but switched to the stadium after council opposition.

Updated: 10:47 Friday, October 04, 2002