LEYLAND will see one its biggest ever music festivals when 17 local artists and groups line up to play Baby Band Aid 3.

The annual charity event which runs from noon to midnight on March 30 will take place at the Seven Stars pub in Leyland Lane.

The music marathon, inspired by Bob Geldoff's Live Aid, will raise money for the Special Care Baby Unit at Sharoe Green Hospital.

Organisers Keith Mitchell and Julia Hultom decided to donate the money to the baby unit after friends of theirs had to take their baby to Manchester for treatment because there was no specialist care in this area.

British Aerospace has agreed to match pound for pound the money raised on the day and will donate the same amount to the Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Keith Mitchell said: "I would like to thank the bands for offering their services free and making events like this a huge success."

Groups supporting this year's charity gig include Running Hot, Reckless, Dirty Deeds, Forever, The Lizzy Boys, Landis and Crocodile, and Mick Randall's Nashville Cats.

Baby Band Aid 2, held at the Lamb in Preston last year, raised £1,700 for the baby unit.

Rimmer's Music Shop has donated a custom-made Gorden Smith electric guitar as a raffle prize for the event.

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