A FAMILY-orientated weekend of pop and classical delights is expected to attract thousands of music lovers to St Mellion International Golf and Country Club in July.

Top tribute band Platinum Abba will recreate the magic of the legendary Swedish 70s supergroup in a glittering concert on Saturday, July 27. The following evening the 40-piece Bath Philharmonia Orchestra take to the stage with a vibrant Jubilee Proms programme conducted by Jason Thornton.

The key to these two outdoor concerts — produced by Amazing Events which previously brought international opera diva Lesley Garrett to St Mellion — is total family entertainment.

'We wanted something that would appeal to a family audience. We chose Platinum Abba because Abba is very much a popular and in-vogue thing,' said Amazing Events managing director Robbie Burns.

'We feel it is very visual — the glitter and glamour of the concert makes it very exciting. Most people know at least three or four Abba songs,' he said.

Both events will be performed from a dome-shaped stage with the audience seated on a natural slope. Mr Burns described the venue, near the St Mellion International Golf and Country Club, as 'extremely disabled-friendly'.

'There is a car park for wheelchair users and people with mobility problems.

'I anticipate that the Platinum Abba concert will be the highest attendance with about 3,000 people, with about 2,000 to 2,500 coming for the proms,' he said, although the site is able easily to cope with more.

Mr Burns said the audience target area is mainly East Cornwall, Plymouth and up to the borders of Devon — with most of the tickets sold to a local audience.

'Rain is always a question. Open air concerts are always open to the elements but if it rains we will still go ahead. It would have to be very severe weather not to. If people will play golf in the rain they will watch a concert!' he said.

As an added attraction, all children under 14 and accompanied by an adult will be admitted free.

St Mellion sales and marketing manager Susie Bell said: 'We want to make the Abba night a family evening. This is a fantastic opportunity for us at St Mellion — it is the essence of what St Mellion is all about. We do a lot for adults but this is for the whole family.'

She said they would be approaching several schools in the East Cornwall area to see if they could take part in the performance.

'We would like to put together a young choir to join Platinum Abba on stage for 'Thank You For the Music' and 'I Had a Dream'. We'd like everyone to come in fancy dress — there will be a fancy dress competition.'

St Mellion general manager Ian Bartlett said the organisation was very much geared to the family.

'We want to give something back to the local community. They support us and without that we wouldn't be as successful as we are. This is not a closed shop — we are here for the community.'