THE organisers of a free music festival have issued an appeal for volunteers to help out.

Stone Music Festival, which takes place from July 10 to 12, needs a band of helpers to do a range of jobs from handing out programmes to collecting donations and putting up security fences.

"We've got a great band of volunteer organisers," said chairman Steve Brookes, "but we still need lots of helpers over the weekend."

Volunteers need to be available at some time during the festival weekend and are being asked to turn up to a briefing evening at Granvilles, in High Street, Stone, on Monday at 7pm.

The festival is to be opened by Stoke football legend Terry Conroy, pictured, who will be in Stone Market Square at 6pm on July 10.

The festival continues throughout the weekend. There is a busking competition and classical concerts including the finale of the Stone Choral Society's 40th anniversary celebrations at the ballroom in the Crown Hotel at 5.30pm on Saturday, July 11.

The festival's grand finale on Sunday, sponsored by Stone Town Council, includes a tribute to the 1970s by Ballroom Glitz who play at 4.30pm in Stone High Street, followed at 6pm by the headline tribute band Abba Gold.