POP stars are set to make a splash at this year's Power in the Park - literally.

Top chart acts including Busted, Danni Minogue and the Cheeky Girls could be singing in the rain as showers are once again predicted for this year's free pop concert on Southampton Common.

According to the Met Office's long-range forecast, thunderstorms could hit the south, soaking pop fans at the outdoor event on Sunday, June 8.

However, the weather is not likely to be as bad as last year, when thousands of music fans were forced to leave the Common early because of a torrential downpour and plummeting temperatures.

As stars including Darius, Will Young and Sophie Ellis-Bextor skidded in the mud backstage, organisers flashed warnings on big screens advising pop fans to avoid the risk of hypothermia by going home.

Howeever, meteorologists can only predict weather with 55 per cent confidence two weeks' ahead.

Met Office spokesman Sancha Tetlow said: "I wouldn't stick my neck out with anything like this. There could be rain, but the long-range forecast covers the whole country. There is no specific forecast for Southampton.''

She added that the weather at this time of year is notoriously unpredictable: "Things are changeable as we move from spring to summer.''

A Power FM spokesman said it would be business as usual this year, come rain or shine. "A bit of rain won't put a damper on the party atmosphere,'' he said.

The major acts for this year's event have now all been announced. They are Busted, Cheeky Girls, Melanie C, Dannii Minogue, Girls Aloud, Lisa Scott-Lee, Mis-Teeq, Blazin' Squad, Billy Crawford, Kym Marsh, Michelle Branch, Jennifer Ellison and Tripple 8.

The concert runs from 12 noon to 4pm.