Isle of Wight Festival organisers estimate over 12,000 people will attend this weekend's two-day gathering - making it easily the biggest event of its kind held on the Island for 30 years.

This week, a huge arena has been constructed at Seaclose Park in readiness for the concert headlined by Paul Weller, Starsailor and Iggy Pop on Saturday and Counting Crows and Bryan Adams on Sunday.

A 60-tonne crane and 500 man hours have gone into assembling the complex.

The venue will be served by six miles of cable bringing in enough electricity to power a small town.

John Giddings of event organisers Solo said things were gearing up well for a successful event.

"There has been a late rush for tickets.

"People have left it to the very last minute in a laid back way you normally associate with the south of France and Italy.

"Ticket sales are currently at about 11,000. We are hoping there is a substantial increase in sales and that the weather forecast - which is very good - proves correct."

Council leader Shirley Smart said: "Hosting a high quality music event such as this has put the Island on the map for a whole generation of people who perhaps did not even know where the Island was.

"The amount of support the event has drawn from people of all ages and backgrounds has proved that this is the right time to relaunch the Isle of Wight as a venue for world-class cultural events."

Tickets for the two-day event will be available at the venue. Special travel arrangements have also been put in place to take festival-goers to and from the site. Shuttle buses will run from Ryde Esplanade and Red Funnel's East Cowes terminal.

For Islanders, a £5 ticket will take people from any major town to the Newport bus station and home again provided they make their way to Newport bus station within 30 minutes of the end of the festival. Southern Vectis will be mobilising its entire fleet - around 90 vehicles - over the weekend.

MEDINA High pupil Tom Hunter is the envy of his mates after winning a VIP ticket for the music festival.

The pass will enable him to meet band members of his favourite act - Hell is For Heroes - who will support Bryan Adams on Saturday.

The VIP ticket is the best of ten passes donated to the school to be distributed to deserving pupils.

Guitar player Tom, 16, of Ventnor, said: "I am looking forward to it loads."