ONE of the strongest line-ups assembled in its 17-year history looks set to make this August's Great British Rhythm and Blues Festival in Colne the best yet.

The four-day festival, which runs over the August Bank Holiday weekend, will see tens of thousands of music lovers heading to East Lancashire.

The line-up includes some of the biggest names from the British R&B scene over the past 40 years, including the Spencer Davis Group, The Animals and Friends, Nine Below Zero, Dave Edmunds and the Wilko Johnson Band.

From the States, artists include Carvin Jones, described by Albert Lee as "one of the brightest young stars on the blues scene today", harmonica legend Carey Bell and former Chicago All Star John Primer.

Colne Muni will once again host the main international stage and their will also be a British stage and an acoustic stage, as well as official fringe venues around the town centre.

On the main stage, the festival begins on Friday, August 25 with The Blue Bishops, including Wishbone Ash's Martin Turner.

Also on the opening night bill are Taste, Rory Gallagher's original band, and returning after performing one of the sets of the festival last year, Nine Below Zero.

On Saturday, the day is given over to artists from the other side of the Atlantic, with Carvin Jones topping the bill.

Sunday sees a host of British favourites, including former Whitesnake guitarist Micky Moody and his band, Dave Edmunds, who had hits with Girls Talk and I Knew the Bride, and topping the bill the Spencer Davis Group.

Bank Holiday Monday sees the festival end in style with performances from Ten Years After, five times UK vocalist of the year Connie Lush, ex-Family frontman Roger Chapman and former member of Dr Feelgood Wilko Johnson.

Individual day tickets are now on sale, as is a full festival ticket which costs £85 if bought before June 30, £100 after that date.

For details of the festival contact the festival hotline on 01282 661234.