The Proms in the Park cost Salford taxpayers nearly £200,000, the Salford Advertiser can reveal today.

Town hall chiefs spent £293,079 on the high-profile event – including more than £60,000 on health and safety and nearly £20,000 on 'artist fees' for acts including Chris de Burgh.

But the council only made £98,740 in ticket and programme sales, according to documents seen by the Advertiser.

Council leader John Merry maintained last night that the event, in its second year, was a 'massive hit'.

He said the town hall never intended to make a profit but put on the show to boost Salford international reputation and provide residents with world-class arts.

But Lib Dem opposition leader Norman Owen questioned whether the event provided value for money and called for the costs to be closely scrutinised last year.

The costs of the event, at Buile Hill Park, were disclosed in a email sent from a top town hall officer to a councillor.

The biggest bills were for building the stage (£75,201), health and safety (£62,555).

Some £17,200 was spent on power, £10,311 on fencing and £2,509 on 'cleansing

The total net cost to the council was £194,339.

The concert featured on the BBC's Last Night of the Proms broadcast.

It was headlined by veteran crooner de Burgh and also saw Salford opera singer Jon Christos take to the stage.

Tickets – which cost £10 for residents and £15 for non-residents – would have had to have been priced at £35 for the event to break even.

Coun Merry, said: "The Proms in Salford is the city’s largest ticketed event.

"It has only been running for two years and has already proved a massive hit. This year’s event was a near sell-out and Salford was featured around the world in the most positive light possible.

"We don’t put on these events to make a profit, we put them on to promote our city and for the benefit of residents. The city council’s role is to enhance the lives of residents and this concert hits that target in the bullseye.

"There is a cost to staging the event, just as there is with any other council service. In balancing the costs of an event we have to look not only at the income we can generate but also the value of the event to the city. In the case of the Proms it is money well spent."

But Conservative councillor Les Turner, who asked for the figures at last week's council meeting, said: "I'm not against the event.

"But I don't see how the event can make a loss, given that it is such a big event."

And Coun Owen said: "Is this really good value for money for taxpayers? We need to look at this situation closely for next year."