Sean's call to bands for memorial festival

Organisers of a watersport and music festival in memory of a tragic father and son from South Staffordshire killed in a plane crash are looking for bands and dance groups to perform at the event.

Ryan Birch, aged 15, and his father Tony, 52, from Pattingham, near Wolverhampton, died along with fellow passenger Simon Marshall, 51, of Lichfield, and pilot Martin Rhodes, aged 48, of Stoke-on-Trent, when the Piper Cherokee light aircraft crashed down into a field.

It happened shortly after take-off on the Isle of Wight in August 2007.

Mr Birch, a microlite instructor, and his youngest son Ryan, a Codsall High School pupil, were travelling to Brittany to join Mr Birch's wife Lesley when tragedy struck.

Mr Birch had stayed behind with Ryan, who had wanted to take part in a wakeboard watersports event at Chasewater Country Park near Cannock.

Following the success of last year's inaugural Ryan and Tony Birch Memorial Wakeboard & Music Festival, the event returns to Chasewater on the weekend of September 19 and 20.

The Saturday will see the cream of amateur wakeboarders from across the country competing for national honours, while on Sunday it will be the turn of the best professional wakeboarders in the UK battling for cash prizes.

Throughout the two days, local talent will be showcased with live music, dance groups and entertainers on the bill.

There will also be a mobile skate park set up for use of the public which has been arranged by local youth programme Burntwood INIT.

Organiser Sean Poultney said: "Any bands, street dance groups or anyone that can offer any support to the event can contact me by email on alfies@chase water ski.co.uk or by telephone on 07970 906557."