EXCITEMENT is building in Burnley as the town goes pop on Saturday, August 13 with the Towneley Live music spectacular.

Top acts Scouting for Girls, N-Dubz, McFly, The Saturdays and Diversity are booked to appear at the event, taking place in the splendour of Towneley Park.

The festival gates open at 1pm and the show will finish by 10.15pm.

Pop favourites McFly will open the show at 3pm showcasing songs from their sixth album Above The Noise, alongside their big hits, before making a sharp exit to an evening concert in Doncaster.

And hip hop chart-toppers N-Dubz will close the star-studded line-up with an extra special finale set from 9pm, it has been revealed.

Other acts on the bill - Scouting For Girls, The Saturdays, Fanfair and Diversity - will appear between McFly and N-Dubz in a running order yet to be decided.

Organisers LiveWyre say around 9,000 tickets have been sold but pop fans can still get their hands on tickets in advance and on the day itself.

Tickets cannot be purchased from Towneley Park itself but they can be obtained from official ticket venues including HMV, Burnley Mechanics and Burnley Football Club.

Organiser Harry Ashworth, a director of Livewyre said: “We’re hoping to attract as many people as possible.

“The festival is going to be an absolutely amazing with some of the best names in music heading to Burnley.

“We are hoping the rain stays off but if not we will have cagoules on sale so people can still enjoy themselves.

“So far the forecast is looking promising and our excitement is building.

“This is the biggest music festival to happen in Burnley this year and we want it to be one of many in the town.

“We’re already planning a meeting to arrange next year’s event, so we’re hoping this one will be a big success.

“The event will hopefully put Burnley on the map and prove to people Burnley is a good place to be."

A spokesman for LiveWyre said: “We’re delighted to be bringing such big acts to Burnley.

“Each group adds something unique to the bill and will blow the audience away with their superb live shows.

“We’re confident Towneley Live is going to be the best thing to have happened to Burnley in years.”

Weather forecasters said there would be scattered showers in the morning but it would brighten up in the afternoon.

Bring waterproof coats, hats and ponchos. Umbrellas will not be allowed.

A spokesman added: “The reason for no umbrellas is, imagine you’re standing there watching and it starts to rain and then hundreds of umbrellas go up.

“From your viewpoint in the middle of the arena you can now see absolutely nothing but umbrellas, plus you’re getting poked in the eye from all directions.

“When there are loads of them in the same small place, it just doesn't work.”

Festival-goers can take in one bottle of water or soft drink up to a maximum 500ml. You cannot bring your own food.

There will be free water inside and food and drink available to buy. No alcohol can be brought in nor will it be on sale.

A police spokesman said: “If you're going, look after your mates, stay together and remember the event is a no-drinking zone.”

Council bosses said the event, which starts at 1pm, would help put the town on the map.

Burnley Council’s Chief Executive Steve Rumbelow said: “It is an exciting event and I just hope the weather picks up so people really can make the most of it.

“Towneley is such a perfect venue for this festival and its key to remember this is really the start of something great.

“I’m sure the whole day will be fantastic.

“People will be driven into the town and it will increase Burnley’s reputation as an up and coming place to be.

“We really want Burnley to be known as the urban centre of a semi rural area.”

Leader of Burnley Council, Coun Charlie Briggs said: “I’m hoping its going to be an amazing day as I’ve been asked to attend along with the mayor.

“Something like this is great for Burnley and it finally answers the pleas of local people who have always wanted an event like this in the town.

“About 10,000 tickets have been sold so far, so we can expect about 15,000 to turn up which is respectable for a first-time event.

“I am sure this will be an event to remember for all the right reasons.”

Burnley MP Gordon Birtwistle said: “This music festival will be superb for Burnley.

“Tickets have been reduced and are now selling like hot cakes so I am sure it will be great place to be.

“Anybody who hasn’t got tickets yet shouldn’t worry as they are still available.”

Ticket prices have been slashed from £42.50 to £20 in a bid to attract more people.

Those who paid full-price will be given a discount voucher for next year’s event.

Towneley Holmes Road and Park Bridge Road will be closed from 9am until the early hours of Sunday, while Deerpark Road will only be open for garden centre access.

Todmorden Road will be closed from its junction with Oxford Road to Parliament Street from 9.30am through to 1am on Sunday.

People who are dropping off, or picking up, festival-goers should follow the signs to Turf Moor, which is the designated drop point.

People with tickets booked through the Groupon website should take their PDF print-out with them to Burnley Football Club to collect their tickets until 5pm on Friday, or 2pm Saturday.

Anybody who booked online from HMV, but whose tickets have not yet arrived, should take their printed e-mail voucher to the ticket office at the entrance to the park, in Todmorden Road, from 10am.

To book a parking space email david@stadiumtm.co.uk or call 07875484369.

* The Towneley Live takes place at Towneley Park, Burnley on Saturday, August 13. Gates open 1pm and the show finishes at 10.15pm. To purchase tickets, contact Ticketline on 0844 888 4420 or visit www.towneleylive.co.uk.