SATURDAY night sees promising singer-songwriter Drew Allen flying the flag for Bournemouth as he competes in the Larmer Tree Breakthrough Music Awards at 60 Million Postcards on Exeter Road.

Six other unsigned acts from around the UK will play their hearts out for a coveted slot at this year’s Larmer Tree Festival.

For the last month, emerging singer/songwriters and bands have submitted their sounds online at lamertreefestival.co.uk to win the opportunity of playing alongside Squeeze, Tom Odell and The Selecter at the festival. The shortlisted six will now play in a live final in front of a panel of judges.

Organiser Julia Safe said: “Everyone is looking for a new star and it is nice to book bands to perform at the right time, when they have either just broken through or break through just after the festival. It’s just luck and it doesn’t always happen but we love it when it does.”

Last year’s winners, Dorset folk duo Ninebarrow will be coming back to the festival at the Larmer Tree Gardens near Tollard Royal, which is held in July. Headlining will be megastar Tom Jones.

Festival founder James Shepard said: “It will be a spectacular show. He is a real legend. I started the festival wanting to create the best party ever and this is how I still see it. Hearing the opening act hit the first note is my favourite part.”

The five-day festival will see 100 acts perform on six stages, alongside a comedy club, Mark Kermode’s Film Club, theatre, a variety of workshops and a range of children’s entertainment.

Ms Safe said: “We have an exciting new building in the gardens, which becomes a theatre and cinema for the duration. We also have Telecommunications, where old-fashioned telephones will be placed at about ten different locations across the site.”

Day tickets for the opening night with Tom Jones have already sold out, but five or seven-day festival tickets are still available.

n For more about the Breakthrough Music Awards and festival visit larmertreefestival.co.uk