THOUSANDS of young music fans are expected in St Helens town centre on Saturday to watch one of the UK's coolest hip-hop acts.

Organisers report positive ticket sales locally for this weekend’s St Helens Live Music Festival, with teenagers from Liverpool heading to the town today to secure their place at Victoria Square open-air concert.

Camden trio N-Dubz, who had chart topping hit this year with Number One, have a growing fan base across the UK.

The MOBO award-winning group is made of two cousins Dappy, who is known for his distinctive headgear, and sexy lead singer Tulisa ‘Tula’ Contostavlos, plus rapper Richard "Fazer" Rawson.

More than 30,000 packed into the Liverpool Echo Arena to watch them perform recently.

They have taken the teenage market by storm and are currently on a sell out tour of the UK.

Their debut album ‘Uncle B’ has gone platinum.

N-Dubz will be supported by Chipmunk – the MOBO & UMA Best UK Newcomer award-winning 18-year-old rising star of hip-hop.

There will also be KOF - Liverpool's very own hip-hop star – who will be on stage and showcase a selection of local talent from across the North West.

Gary Maddock, at St Helens Council, said: “Sales are going well, we know some fans are coming from as far as Birmingham.

“One parent even contacted me to ask whether it was the Real N-Dubz because their kids couldn’t believe they were coming to St Helens.”

The event is organised by St Helens Council with event partners Love Music Hate Racism, CALM, JUICE FM and Chicago Rock Café and financially supported by St Helens Council and the European Regional Development Fund.

Access points for the festival will be via Hardshaw Street at both of its entrances to Victoria Square.

Running order

  • 4PM ANAMAL
  • 4.15PM MAPP PROJECT
  • 4.25PM ADAM EBURNE
  • 4.35PM DOUBLE DUTCH
  • 4.50PM LANCA
  • 5.05PM DJ RASP
  • 5.30PM KOF
  • 6PM CHIPMUNK
  • 6.50PM NDUBZ Tickets for the event cost £5 each (plus booking fee).

To purchase tickets contact: SeeTickets.com – 0871 230 0010 – www.seetickets.com Ticketline.co.uk – 0844 888 9991 – www.ticketline.co.uk Lancashire Tickets – info@lancashiretickets.com - www.lancashiretickets.com - (no telephone sales) The Citadel, Waterloo Street, St Helens WA10 1PX – (Call in and collect at the venue, not via phone sales or the website. Phone number is 01744 735436) ACC Liverpool – 0844 8000400 – www.accliverpool.com/whatson/sthelens.asp Ticketweb – www.ticketweb.co.uk