SUMMER might seem far, far away, but the big names are already lining up for Upton's Sunshine Festival.

The festival is now in its eighth year, and organisers aim to secure its reputation as "the heart of England's greatest family festival".

Huge names already signed up for the August Bank Holiday weekend include one of the biggest boy bands ever, Blue; the 1980s superstar, Paul Young; the legendary singer/song-writer, Sophie Ellis-Bextor; the hit-making girl group, Atomic Kitten, and pop diva, Kim Wilde.

Comprising of London-based lads Antony Costa, Simon Webbe, Lee Ryan and Duncan James, Blue released their first single in May 2001, the anthemic ‘All Rise’, and were immediately on their way to pop stardom.

On 7th June 2009, Blue headlined at Capital FM’s charity event, Summertime Ball, at the Emirates stadium, ‘duetting’ with Lionel Richie on his classic ballad ‘Easy’ and performing their greatest hits before a sell-out crowd of 55,000. That was the first steps towards the long road to "Roulette", Blue's first new studio album in ten years.

Paul Young's first solo album ‘No Parlez’ was released in 1983 and went triple platinum in the UK alone, and spawned the No 1 single ‘Wherever I Lay My Hat (That’s My Home).

Sophie Ellis-Bextor emerged in the 1990s and enjoyed success in the UK singles chart with "I've Got the Wherewithal.”

In the late 2000 Sophie appeared as a major star alongside Italian DJ/producer Spiller. The 6'9" Venetian had just put together a disco house number titled "Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)," and was looking for a female vocalist to add extra spice to the work.

The rest is history, a history which includes another smash hit, "Murder on the Dancefloor".

A case could be made that Atomic Kitten are the biggest girl group in Europe.

Throughout the Noughties Atomic Kitten flew the flag as one of Britain’s most successful exports.

Now, with founder member Kerry Katona re-joining her fellow Kittens, Liz McClarnon and Natasha Hamilton, the three originals are back and ready to make up for lost time.

Kim Wilde was born in Chiswick, West London to legendary 1950’s British Rock’n’Roll singer, Marty Wilde, and his wife Joyce – a member of the singing group, The Vernons Girls. Her first single release, ‘Kids In America’ in 1981, was a worldwide hit paving the way for a recording career which has so far yielded twelve studio albums and in excess of thirty singles.

For further details and tickets contact www.uptonfestival@gmail.com