A MAJOR music extravaganza featuring girl band Atomic Kitten has been given the green light to be held this summer in Worcester.

Organisers cleared the final hurdle yesterday when the City's Licensing Committee voted in favour of the XS 2003 music festival, which should see up to 25,000 people attending a pop concert on Sunday May 31 and a classical concert on Sunday June 1.

Top acts, including Atomic Kitten, Busted, rap band Big Brovaz, and Fame Academy's Sinead Quinn, will feature at the show.

The two-day event is being organised by Wyvern FM. The station's programme controller, Simon Monk, who was at the meeting, said he was happy with the decision.

"Even before the committee met we were confident," said Simon. "We ran a successful event last year and tickets for this show are selling well.

"The stage has been booked, the sound system is there, and all systems are go."

Wyvern FM is working with TOA Productions, whose representative, Andy Cotton, was also at the meeting.

Mr Monk said TOA Productions are the current Events Organisers of the Year, which is why they were chosen.

"With Andy we have the top guy in the business," said Simon.

Mr Cotton said the line-up, which also included 80s pop star Limahl, who was lead singer with Kajagoogoo, is intended to appeal to the widest possible audience.

Concerns about noise levels, litter and traffic flow were raised at the meeting by councillors.

But the organisers allayed their fears and said they would ensure that the public was told to enter and leave the grounds via New Road not Bromwich Road, which would cause inconvenience to the residents

They also said Environmental Health Officers would monitor noise, and if any complaints were received, they would ask that the sound levels be lowered.