Times & Star has issued the following report:

Legendary guitarist GARY MOORE (ex-THIN LIZZY, SKID ROW, COLOSSEUM) has been confirmed as the second major artist to play the Maryport Blues Festival this year.

Moore will be the Friday night headliner, with VAN MORRISON top of the bill on Saturday night.

Maryport Festivals publicity officer, Eleanor Carr, said organisers were thrilled to announce two such important artists thanks to a new sponsorship deal.

Scottish & Newcastle Brewery is the major sponsor of the 2007 festival.

Event organisers have also announced a new way to pay for tickets, which will go on sale on Monday.

People will be able to go to the Maritime Museum on Shipping Brow and pay in installments.

“They can pay what they want, as long as the tickets are fully paid up a week before the festival in July,”said organiser, Debra Park.

Gary Moore is acknowledged as one of the finest rock blues guitarists of all time.

In a career that dates back to the 1960s, Moore has graced the line-ups of several notable rock bands including Thin Lizzy, Colosseum 11, Greg Lake’s band and Skid Row, as well as having a successful solo career.

In 1979, Moore’s solo career began in earnest with the evocative hit single, 'Parisienne Walkways', which pitched his lead guitar with a moody Phil Lynott guest vocal. The single reached the UK Top 10.

His biggest British hit single was 'Out In The Fields', which reached number five in 1985.

Moore now appears as a regular radio host on Planet Rock’s radio show, Blues Power.

This year’s blues festival is the biggest and most ambitious to date.

Ticket prices are kept as low as possible through subsidies from sponsorship and grants, and because the festival itself is planned and organised entirely by volunteers.

“However, we have had to increase ticket prices because of the exceptionally high calibre of the main stage artists and rising infrastructure costs,” Mrs Carr said.

“Whilst this is a steep rise on last year, we believe it is still excellent value for money and competitive with other festivals.”

In addition to the main stage, Maryport will again feature many blues bands on its pub trail. For the second year running there will be an outside stage.

Details of the trail and outdoor stage artists will be announced soon.

For the first time this year, tickets will be available over the internet through Ticketline on www.ticketline.co.uk

Tickets are on sale from Monday from the Carnegie Theatre, Finkle Street, Workington, phone 01900 602122, or from Maryport Festivals Ltd, Project Office, Maritime Museum, 1 Shipping Brow, Maryport, CA15 6AB, phone 01900 817200.

The Maritime Museum does not have credit card facilities.

Tickets paid for by instalment can only be bought from the Maritime Museum in person.

The prices this year are: Main stage: £40, Friday, £50, Saturday, £25, Sunday or £95 for the weekend.

The prices are inclusive of the booking fee, VAT and credit card charges. There is small postage fee from Ticketline and the festival office.

The weekend main stage ticket includes a weekend trail ticket. Trail wrist bands, for those not buying main stage tickets, are £5 per day or £12 for the weekend.

Other sponsors and funders for the festival include the Northern Rock Foundation, West Lakes Renaissance, Maryport Town Council, Sun Chemicals, and Allerdale council.