A MUSICAL spectacular featuring 3,000 drums will be the centrepiece of one of the country's largest youth festivals to be staged in North Yorkshire.

Organisers are scouring the county for genuine and makeshift percussion instruments for the record breaker, which will be attempted at the Youth Arts Festival 2003 on Saturday, July 5.

"We need anything you can hit for what will be the largest drum workshop certainly this county has ever seen," said festival team member Alex Cromarty, 20, of Northallerton.

"We are hoping to borrow as many drums as we can but will also use anything we can get our hands on including dustbins."

The team has already managed to recruit the help of session drummer Mike Dolbear, who runs a drummer's web site and has played with pop star Robbie Williams.

"Drums are great. They were one of the first musical instruments and offer a universal language," said Mr Cromarty.

The festival will be staged for the second year running at Tadcaster Grammar School from 10.30am to 11pm. Last year the event attracted more than 1,300 people.

The project is being co-ordinated by the Continuing Education Unit of North Yorkshire County Council through its Connecting Youth Culture project.

Festival co-ordinator Charlie Toothill said this year's extravaganza was expected to be bigger and better than ever with a host of musical acts, dance, arts and crafts, drama and workshops.

The festival will be brought to a close with a fireworks display.