ONE of St Helens' hottest young bands rocked the town centre on Saturday to promote next week's Westfield Street Music Festival.

Stillia performed a selection of their own tracks and cover versions in front of the crowds that gathered on Church Square this afternoon.

The four piece even had an impromptu special guest to join in the fun, as local character 'Johnny Welly' delighted onlookers and played along to the cameras by dancing to the band's cover of the Chuck Berry classic Johnny B. Goode.

Speaking afterwards, Jack Bennett, 18, the frontman of the band that signed with a London record label earlier this year, said: "It was a great reception from the St Helens public - the home crowd always gets behind us - and the sun was shining.

"We're excited about next week and hopefully this sets the scene for it. Paul Griffiths, of the Zoo Bar, has put a lot of effort into organising this and it promises to be brilliant for the live music scene in St Helens.

"We'll be playing Bar 44 and will be supported by to two other up and coming local bands. But there are lots of acts playing throughout the day along the street, which will make it really exciting.

"We are a band with big ambitions - the aim one day is to perform a concert at a venue such as the Liverpool Echo Arena.

"But it is all about putting the hard work in. My younger brother finishes school in the near future so that will open more possibilities for us for touring and recording."