Last updated 06:32, Friday, 02 May 2008

SEVENTY bands will play to over 10,000 people at this year’s CockRock festival.

Local and international artists will play on five stages at Wellington Farm, near Cockermouth, over the two-day event on July 19 and 20.

Headlining the festival on Saturday is Yorkshire band The Sneakypeaks, and Sunday’s headliner will be Dear Superstar from Manchester.

Organisers were contacted by over 200 bands wanting to perform at the event from Germany to New York.

German band The Hip Hop Killers will be performing, as well as local bands such as South Quay, Seventhwave, Mazzoni, Indigo Skins, Skunk and Sour Mash.

Sunday’s headliner, Dear Superstar, got together four years ago.

In 2006, they recorded their self-produced debut album called Confessions of a Twisted Mind and shortly after, they signed the album over to Copro Records.

Saturday’s headliner, The Sneakypeaks, have played alongside bands such as The Hoosiers, Good Shoes, The Dykeenies and Milburn.

They started out in 2005 in York and have played at Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Liverpool, Sheffield and London.

Acoustic solo artist, Adam Amor, from Whitehaven, will be appearing in The Session Tent.

Adam has just released his first album, A Hidden Hope, which has 11 self-penned acoustic tracks. He is also part of the band GO, which will feature in the CockRock Bar Stage.

Broken English, a five-piece band from Maryport, will also be in the Session Tent.

The CockRock Bar Stage, which is new for 2008, will be hosted by Solfest.

During the weekend there will also be on-site entertainment including circus acts, firebreathing, children’s supervised play areas and music workshops.

There will be a variety of market stalls and food stalls.

Camping will again be free this year and will be divided into sections, with a family area and a more lively area.

CockRock was set up by Chris Smithson and friends in 2004 when their friend Cameron Wood damaged his spine in a cycling accident and had to be rescued by the Great North Air Ambulance.

The group came up with the idea of a non-profit, annual rock festival with all proceeds going to the air ambulance and Cockermouth Mountain Rescue.

Last year, the festival raised £10,000.

Weekend tickets are £25. Day tickets and under-14s tickets are also available.

They are on sale at Billy Bowmans, Cockermouth, the Carnegie Theatre, Workington, the ticket hotline on 01900 602122 and online at www.cockermouthrockfestival.com