Sunderland officials have slammed the "cynically timed" decision by Metro workers to hold a strike on the day of the One Direction concert.

The boyband are due to perform in front of 50,000 fans at the Black Cats' home on Wednesday, with many opting to use the city's train links to arrive at the stadium.

However, the RMT Union has announced plans for strike action to take place on the day - the third time such action has coincided with a concert at the Stadium of Light.

The club's commercial director, Gary Hutchinson, is quoted by the Sunderland Echo as saying: "There has been more than 12 months of detailed planning gone into this concert, working in partnership with agencies from across the region.

"It is, therefore, hugely disappointing and incredibly frustrating for the RMT to call this action, which is cynically timed in an attempt to create the maximum inconvenience to concert-goers."

RMT say members voted massively in favour of the action.