ONE of the country's best-known tribute acts are set to add Blackburn to their list of tour towns.

The Bootleg Beatles have agreed to top the bill at Blackburn with Darwen Council's flagship Arts in the Park event, which will be held on July 6 and 7 in Corporation Park.

They are among 20 bands who will appear on two stages during the course of the two-day arts and entertainment event.

Saturday, July 6 is billed as a contemporary day with the park buzzing to the sound of rock and pop as over 20 bands perform on two stages with the world famous Bootleg Beatles the evening attraction.

Popular with all ages, the band is now at the forefront of the contemporary music scene.

Their appearances with Oasis in 1996 at Earls Court, Knebworth, Cork and Loch Lomond won them huge new audiences of young fans.

June 1997 saw them as headline artists in a very muddy acoustic tent at the Glastonbury festival.

They have a number of impressive gigs under their belt.

Since 1998 they have headlined the 90,000 strong audience at the Roskilde festival in Denmark, joined The Corrs and Simple Minds at the Fleadh in London, played Wembley Stadium with Rod Stewart and Jon Bon Jovi, Anfield with the Manic Street Preachers and Cast and appeared in front of a 40,000 crowd at the Proms in the Park in Hyde Park.

Sunday 7 July will be a community and classical day as local arts groups are given the opportunity to showcase their excellent work.

The headline artists for the evening will be The English Symphony Orchestra who will perform a popular programme to the backdrop of a stirring firework finale.