THIRTY years on and punk is set to cause a stir once again with a special tour which will open in Blackburn on May 20.

The Spit and Sawdust Tour is being organised by Blackburn-based record label Noize Anoize Music along with Stockport-based Fungal Punk.

The tour opens with a special launch gig at the Cellar Bar in Blackburn next Saturday when 17 bands will be playing on two stages from 1.30pm to 11pm.

Andy Foulds from Noize Anoize said: "The tour is basically about taking punk back to its roots, out of the stadiums and larger venues and back to street level hence the name Spit and Sawdust.

"What we are doing is striking a chord with a lot of people out there."

The idea for the tour came after Andy and Dave Higginson-Tranter from Fungal Punk were at a gig last year.

"The subject of the 30th anniversary of punk came up and we both agreed that a back-to-its-roots tour was what it should be about, so the idea to take a number of bands out together and putting on mini festivals in different towns was born."

The response has been so good that the organisers have had to turn down a number of bands because of limited space and plans are already in the pipeline for a second Spit and Sawdust tour in 2007.

Looking forward to the launch gig next Saturday, Andy said: "Blackburn was the natural choice to kick start and close the tour because over the last few years the town has become regarded as the place to play for punk bands from all over the UK because of the great reception they get from the crowds."

At next Saturday's gig a number of local bands will be taking part, including The Excuses, Middle Finger Salute, The Retainers, The Slash Monkeys and Boredom.

The tour also calls in to Accrington on Sunday, June 18 as part of a 30th anniversary punk day at the Attic on Warner Street when eight bands will be taking part. The tour ends at the Sir Charles Napier in Blackburn on Sunday, July 9.

The Spit and Sawdust Tour launch is at the Cellar Bar in Blackburn on Saturday, May 20. Tickets are £3 in advance available from the bands or from the Record Exchange in Blackburn or Astonishing Sounds in Burnley.