WEYMOUTH is poised to welcome a weekend invasion of country music and motorcycle fans.

The resort will host its very first country music festival this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Pavilion.

It will be led by Britain's King of Country, Raymond Froggatt and his band, supported by Sid Newman and several tribute singers.

The festival will get off to a thumping start on Friday night with the Ocean Room hosting a spectacular country dance evening featuring the multi-talented Denver Spur, Jeffers 'n' Jen, Tahnee and Bob's Country and Western Disco.

Saturday features the Wild West Adventure Roadshow on the Pavilion forecourt from noon until 4pm, the only American themed roadshow of its kind.

Family entertainment will include a cowboy stunt show with whips, ropes and knife throwing acts, giant inflatable Red Indian wrestling, original line dancing and a Wild West workshop. Have-a-go games include bows and arrows, a rifle range, a quick draw machine, a lasso corral, horseshoe throwing and cowboy boot throwing.

Line dance workshops will run from 2-11pm with UK No 1 choreographer and instructor Rob Fowler, while the Festival Dorset Stompede with all-style line dancing with the Dorset Desperadoes will be held from 7-11pm.

A different kind of roar will also take place on Saturday when Weymouth welcomes 600 magnificent Harley Davidson motor-cycles.

The bikes range from 883cc sportsters to the 1500cc big twins with some machines costing up to £20,000.

These kings of the road will growl along the seafront with police outriders before the parade enters Lodmoor Country Park where they will form a static display. A top local band will perform and this event is free to the public.

Event organiser Les Williams said: "This year's rally is going to be the biggest and best yet and I am sure that local people and visitors will enjoy the parade and visit us at Lodmoor Country Park."

More machines will entertain crowds on Sunday when Weymouth enjoys a stirring taste of the past with its annual vintage motorcycle rally.

More than 100 machines from a bygone era will parade along the seafront from 9.30-11am before Weymouth and Portland Mayor Joy Stanley flags them off on their annual tour of the area at 11am.

The motorcycles will then return to Weymouth Pavilion between 2-3pm where Mrs Stanley will take part in a presentation at about 3pm. Motorcycles will then leave at about 4pm.

All the vintage bikes in the rally are members of the Dorset Section of the Vintage Motorcycle Club and the rally, which is in its 35th year, is recognised as the biggest of its kind in the area.

The motorcycles taking part in this year's rally were manufactured between 1912 and 1976.