LIVERPOOL legends Echo & The Bunnymen will lead the line-up at this year’s Pocktoberfest in Pocklington’s former railway station on Sunday, October 28.

Organisers of the town’s annual music and beer festival hope to raise at least £5,000 for the main beneficiary, Help For Heroes, and local charities from a two-day event expected to attract 1,500 people.

Around 20 real ales, beers and ciders from across Yorkshire and Britain can be savoured on October 27 and 28. The Sunday music will run from 1pm and a full Saturday programme of local performers will be announced in the next fortnight.

Joining Echo & The Bunnymen will be Mercury Music Prize nominees Guillemots; acoustic Leeds five-piece Ellen And The Escapades; Eastbourne singer-songwriter and Pocklington Arts Centre favourite David Ford; and swing band leader and beard calendar model Louis Barabbas The Bedlam Six. “Very special guests” are promised too.

Last year, Poctoberfest switched to The Old Station for the first time and introduced the music strand that brought Billy Bragg, Seth Lakeman and Hayseed Dixie to Pock.

Organising committee member Chris Waite says: “Moving Pocktoberfest to a new much bigger venue and adding the music festival as a new theme was a big gamble, and I was truly delighted that it turned out to be a huge success, with many people telling us how much they enjoyed it.

“We’re firmly putting the charity aspect at the top of our agenda again this year and I know everyone is proud we’ll be supporting Help For Heroes – a truly worthwhile cause and one which has already inspired us all.

“Help For Heroes are being incredibly helpful and supportive and we’re hoping to announce a main additional mid-summer fund-raising event soon which people can actively get involved in.”

Janet Farmer, Pocklington Arts Centre’s manager and the festival’s music programmer, says the impetus of the 2011 festival has enabled her to attract a “fantastic line-up of nationally renowned bands” for October 28.

“The whole weekend was a huge success last year, especially if you take into account it was the first time it was staged on such a large scale and the time we had to organise it. We hope we can use this momentum and really put the festival and Pocklington on the map,” she adds.

“Echo & The Bunnymen are one of the most recognisable and critically acclaimed bands of the last 30 years. Their live shows are truly magnificent and in Ian McCulloch they have one of rock’s great front men. To have them perform at the festival is a real honour.”

The festival once again will be a collaboration between Pocklington Round Table, Pocklington Arts Centre and Pocklington School, home to The Old Station.

“A big thank-you goes out to headmaster Mark Ronan and Andrew Darcy at Pocklington School for their continued support for the festival,” says Janet. “Without this input we wouldn’t be able to stage the event.”

Tickets for Sunday cost £43, under 18s £30, family of four £130, on 01759 301547 or online at pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk Saturday tickets are £10.