TENS of thousands of people in Worcestershire will today be glued to their televisions for the biggest musical event since Live Aid in 1985.

Some of the biggest names in the music world have lent their support to the Live 8 concerts taking place all around the world as part of the Make Poverty History campaign.

In London's Hyde Park there will more than 200,000 for the main concert while there will also be concerts in Berlin, Rome, Moscow, Tokyo, Johannesburg, and Philadelphia.

Tony Hinton, landlord of Worcester's Horn and Trumpet pub in Angel Street, said he would show the whole event on TV.

He said: "I remember Live Aid and people thought it wasn't going to be big but it really was.

"I expect that people will come in and watch it but I'm not expecting it to be like a football match." Other pubs contacted by the Worcester News said they might show the concerts if people asked.

Meanwhile scores of campaigners from around the county will today join an estimated 200,000 people at a protest march through the centre of Edinburgh.

Worcester's Trade Justice Network has organised a coach and also a minibus to transport protesters from the city. Another four coaches are expected to travel from Hereford while many more people will make their own way to Scotland.

The march has been organised ahead of the G8 Summit in Gleneagles, which begins on Wednesday. The G8 is made up of the seven of the world's leading industrialised nations, and Russia.

Stars join together in musical marathon

THE world's elite musical stars were joining together today to perform across the globe for the Live 8 charity event.

The mammoth musical extravaganza - masterminded by musician and campaigner Bob Geldof - is being staged to put pressure on the world leaders gathering for next week's G8 summit to do their bit to make poverty history.

Big-name acts including Coldplay, Pink Floyd, Robbie Williams, U2, Travis, Madonna and REM were taking to the stage at 2pm for a concert in Hyde Park, London. African artists were also due to perform at the Eden Project in Cornwall from 1pm.

Coldplay's Chris Martin said: "We are very proud to be part of it and we are also very proud to be part of anything Bob Geldof does. He's an inspirational man that doesn't really get the credit he deserves."

Elsewhere across Europe, The Cure, Muse, Sheryl Crow and Placebo were among the artists performing in Paris, while former Beach Boy Brian Wilson, A-Ha, Green Day and Roxy Music were some of the acts playing in Berlin.

New Romantic legends Duran Duran were set to be one of the acts playing Rome, while Black-Eyed Peas, Maroon Five, Stevie Wonder and Bon Jovi are some of the highlights for the Philadelphia concert.

And Barenaked Ladies, Bryan Adams, Deep Purple and Motley Crue were due to be among those playing in Barrie, Canada.

Tokyo's concert will see Icelandic oddity Bjork and boy band McFly join other musicians while 4Peace Ensemble, Lindiwe and Orchestre Baobab will play Johannesburg's concert.

Meanwhile in Moscow, the Pet Shop Boys will be joined by the likes of Moral Code X and Agata Kristy.

People can watch the performances from the comfort of their armchair, with coverage of the Hyde Park concert from 1pm to 4.15pm on BBC2 and 4.15pm to 9.30pm on BBC1 as well as footage of the US gig between 9.50pm and 3.35am on Sunday. In London, all police leave has been cancelled, with 1,000 officers on duty to manage the crowds.