ONE band performing at Head for the Hills is getting a very local boost.

Mat Skinner has been able to put together a musical collective thanks to Ramsbottom's own Dean Casement.

Mr Casement, who plays with The Plumedores, Mark Potter from Elbow's other band, knew Mr Skinner and had toured with him previously.

Mr Casement, aged 32, said: "The Plumedores went on tour last year and he came out and opened for us. He's a fantastic singer, songwriter.

"He's been on the road with Niall Rogers, the Kaiser Chiefs and Elbow.

"Earlier in the year he asked if I would record some of the tracks on his EP.

"Now when we were touring we weren't there to see much of him playing so his music hadn't sunk in that much but I started listening and got into it.

"I said let's get together and do some gigs."

While preparing to put Mr Skinner's music out there, they got talking to David Agnew artistic director of The Met in Bury who suggested they play Head for the Hills.

Mr Casement said: "David Agnew from The Met said why don't you do the main stage and we thought we better get our act together!"

The pair rounded up a group of musicians including Dickon Kyme-Wright of Tom Hingley's Kar-Pets and Andy Hargreaves from I Am Kloot, who will perform with them on Saturday.

Mr Casement explained: "The band is more of a collective. I'm going to be out with The Plumedores and what have you. It's to support Mat and get his music out there and so the line up can change."

The band will take to the main stage at 3pm on Saturday.

If you want to get a taste of what Mat Skinner is about you can hear them play at The Artisan in Brook Street, Rawtenstall this evening from 8pm.

For Mr Casement Head for the Hills is an annual event, having played it in one band or another every year since it opened, he joked he had been thinking about having this year off.

He added: "But I love doing it and I'm really excited about this project with Mat and it's very different to what I've done before. It's a different style."

He said Mr Skinner's music always tells a story and has a point, reflecting on his own experiences.

Tickets to Head for the Hills are still available and can be bought online at headforthehills.org.uk.