TICKETS have gone on sale for Eastleigh Summer Music Festival - the biggest live event being held in Hampshire this year.

More than 20,000 tickets are available for nine different concerts being held at three different venues during the festival, which will run between Monday, July 28 and Sunday, August 3.

Headlining will be Jools Holland who will appear with his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra at Manor Farm Country Park on July 31.

Others appearing at the festival will perform in a 2,000-capacity circus "Big Top" and arena at the Leigh Road Recreation Ground .

Those appearing include Sir Bob Geldof, TV favourite Rolf Harris, top Irish band The Saw Doctors, Glastonbury Festival favourites The Levellers, The Drifters and tribute band Real Abba Gold. The festival will also include a concert by the SAS Band (Spike's All Stars) featuring a host of pop stars including Leo Sayer, Paul Young, Graham Gouldman (10cc) , Midge Ure, Fish (Marillion) and Chris Thompson (Manfred Mann's Earthband) plus some surprise guest stars.

Former Dr Hook vocalist Dennis Locorriere and Britain's top acoustic music duo Show of Hands will also appear in concerts being held at The Point in Leigh Road.

The festival will also feature free world music concerts every lunchtime, free family and children's entertainers every afternoon, a week-long craft and international food fair.

A fringe festival will include an open-air concert by Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra at Netley's Royal Victoria Country Park on July 12.

Tickets are available at The Point (023 8065 2333) The Brook in Portswood Road, Southampton (023 8055 5366), the Ticketweb national ticket booking agency and via the festival website at www.eastleighfestival.co.uk.