CHARITIES are set to cash in from 100,000 people who will be flooding into Monkton Park, Chippenham, for North Wiltshire Festival 2002.

The festival, which runs from July 26 to 28, will raise cash for Cancer Research UK, the charity picked out by North Wiltshire District Council chairman Brian Atfield for support during his year in office.

St John Ambulance will also earn 25p from the sale of each festival programme.

Coun Atfield said the decision to choose Cancer Research UK was a personal one.

"I picked it for two reasons," he said. "I asked the staff to think of charities we could support and this one came up on their list.

"And my father-in-law died of lung cancer, so I know what a terrible disease it is. It strikes young and old."

He will launch his charity appeal with a balloon race on Sunday July 28.

He hopes to sell around 2,000 red, white and blue balloons over the festival weekend, to be launched at about 6pm after the final concert.

The owner of the balloon that flies the furthest will receive a prize.

"I hope to raise as much as possible over the year," said Coun Atfield.

"People are very generous, but I shall be out there selling balloons during the festival."

The festival will kick off with a day focussing on business, with talks and seminars throughout the day and a team challenge in the afternoon.

Saturday's programme will include demonstrations, live entertainment and children's activities, culminating in a major live family concert in the evening. Its all-star line-up includes boy band EssTeem, from Swindon, Eurovision star Katrina, The Pasadenas, Heatwave, and soul legend Edwin Starr.

The concert will commence with the performance by the winner of the Battle of the Bands competition, organised by the Gazette and GWR radio.

Local bands were invited to enter their band in the competition. The judges listened to all the tapes and CDs sent in, and selected four bands to go forward to compete for the top spot.

The four bands chosen are Spacehopper, with five members, formed in 1998, Eleventhhour, a band with powerful songs and a big live sound based in Wootton Bassett, Sepiatone, a five-member band from Swindon formed in October 2000, and Solar a four piece band from Chippenham.

Everyone can vote for the ultimate winner, who will perform live on the main stage on Saturday night.

Voters must either send a text message from their mobile phone by calling 07870 150156, with the name of the band (normal text messaging costs apply). Voters can log on to the GWR website, www.koko.com The last day for voting is Friday July 19.

Children will have plenty to keep them busy over the weekend, with two two-hour Makendoo workshops on Saturday, when youngsters can learn how to make masks, hats and totem poles.

The Splott Brothers will be running circus skills workshops, and the Gazette and Herald bouncy castle will be up and running so youngsters can burn off some energy.

The last day of the festival will be a family day, with a festival market in the morning followed by an HTV Garden Roadshow and demonstrations by Whitehall Garden Centre.

The day will end with a concert by Christian musician Noel Richards at 5pm, followed by the charity balloon race and, weather permitting, a hot air balloon finale.