BRITISH rapper Tinchy Stryder is to headline the first major music festival due to be held in Wirral over the late May bank holiday weekend.

The three-day “Sunset Festival” from Friday, May 28, to Sunday, May 30, will be at White Farm in Thurstaston – although it still faces a legal challenge.

The line-up announced last night also includes the producer and MC Wiley, rapper Example, former Underworld member and DJ Darren Emerson and Ebony Bones, Goldie Lookin Chain, D Ramirez and Arias.

The event promises four arenas and 11 hours of music with a pre-party for campers.

The event will also be supporting local charities, including Claire House children’s hospice and Clatterbridge Cancer Research.

The licensing committee gave the green light for the festival in December, but attached a long list of conditions after some objections from residents and councillors.

They included music being confined to four marquees and keeping parking 240m away from nesting barn owls.

Up to 7,500 tickets went on sale this month at £72 for the weekend or £42 for the day.

Tickets went on sale on February 1.

But the organisers are still facing an appeal against the decision which was lodged at Wirral magistrates court – and a hearing is due to take place on April 15, 16 and 23.

Heswall businessman Andrew Carr, the festival’s co-organiser, said he was “completely confident” the festival would be a success.