A WORLD-CLASS orchestra will join top opera star Russell Watson in Bournemouth this Friday.

Watson, the car mechanic who swapped his welding torch for a career on the international stage, will be backed by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra at a Classical Spectacular at AFC Bournemouth's Fitness First stadium.

The singer, who shot to fame with his debut album The Voice, will be backed by the renowned orchestra in a breathtaking evening concert and firework finale.

Formed in 1987, the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra has been in constant demand for performances and recordings of classical, light classical and popular music both in the UK and abroad, delighting audiences around the world with concert programmes that have included opera galas, stage and screen classics, and the ever popular Last Night of the Proms.

The orchestra has worked with a host of international celebrity artists ranging from Luciano Pavarotti, Andrea Bocelli, Jose Carreras, Montserrat Caballe, Bryn Terfel, Julian Lloyd Webber and Lesley Garrett to Liza Minnelli, Stevie Wonder, George Benson, Burt Bacharach and Dionne Warwick.

Other highlights in recent years have included performances of Aida at Earl's Court with Pavarotti, a showcase with Charlotte Church for Chinese television, a season at Holland Park Opera and 32 shows with Sir Cliff Richard at the Royal Albert Hall.

The scale and presence of the orchestra alongside the voice of Russell, guarantees a spectacular beginning to Party On The Pitch, a three-day music extravaganza that brings together the top names in classical, rock and pop music. Top boy band Blue will headline a bumper bill of today's pop talent on Sunday.

Tickets are on sale via the hotline (0870 787 0808), or at the Fitness First Stadium and the BIC ticket offices, and are priced at £27.50 (Friday and Saturday) and £19.50 (Sunday).