DESPITE the atrocious weather conditions, thousands of people gathered on Central Beach for the annual visit of the Radio One Roadshow and its entourage of top music acts.

Chart-toppers All Saints, Billie and Babybird all performed during the live broadcast presented by Radio One's Zoe Ball and Kevin Greening, pictured with reporter Chris Dixon.

For St Annes-born Zoe the flying visit to Blackpool was a chance to reminisce, as she told the Citizen: "It makes me think of my nan and grandad and when I used to play in the Jubilee Gardens at Cleveleys. I love Blackpool and it's always nice to get back and see it."

Kevin added: "Just look how wet I am after an hour on stage. You have to give it to the fans that stood there from 10am.

"I've never visited Blackpool before and I've been blown away by it all - especially the Big One and the Pleasure Beach.

"Blackpool has the right idea with all the Las Vegas glitz and it's definitely the way forward for other resorts. All of the acts were great and it's a great honour to have All Saints appear."

"They don't really have to any more do they?" added Zoe, "They were a support act previously and now they are huge."

All four members of chart-toppers All Saints appeared, including five-month-pregnant Melanie Blatt, braving the driving wind and rain to entertain what can only be described as a die-hard audience.

Teenage sensation Billie also wowed the crowds with her number-one hit Because We Want To.

The 15-year-old's rise has been meteoric over the past few months and she seems to be coping with it very well.

She said: "It's all great. I was ecstatic when I found out I'd gone to Number One.

"And it's cool doing the roadshow getting people going. I've only been to Blackpool once before on holiday when I was eight or nine and it's a great place but it has rained both times.

"We've always had a good time here though."

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