HERE IS your chance to become a rock star! Singer and musician Mark Joseph will soon be visiting every secondary school in the Fylde to practically give away £1,000 rock packs.

His national campaign which started in April aims to encourage the next generation of songwriters, musicians and bands.

Mark, 21, of Leighton Buzzard, has clinched a £1million sponsorship deal for 1,000 schools to give 1,000 new young bands a boost on the path to stardom. Scheme supporters include the UK's no 1 music store, Ivor Mairants Music Centre and Gear Magazine.

The highlight of the project will be a National Non-School Uniform Day for Music in October. Schools will be asked to contribute the total proceeds of this towards a state of the art rock pack comprising a drum set, two guitars, two speakers and a microphone.

Mark, who has written more than 150 songs, plays several instruments and has set up his own label. He plans to continue with the music workshops in schools which he has been holding for the past three years.

Fed up with today's music which he describes as dominated by "glorified karaoke", Mark feels it's his duty to try and encourage young people to open their minds to different kinds of music.

For more information tel Mark on (01525) 382049 or (07719) 114570.