FRANK Bruno and the It's a Knockout team will roll into Morecambe this weekend - but local TV viewers will miss out on the action.

Channel 5 is hoping a bumper crowd will turn up to see Keith Chegwin, Lucy Alexander and big Frank host heats of the knockabout show at Morecambe Arena on Saturday and Sunday.

But, because most televisions in the area can't pick up Channel 5, local people will miss out on the thrills and spills of the Morecambe team.

A spokesman for the TV channel said: "Unfortunately that is the case at the moment. There are a few places around the country that can't pick us up yet but I suppose more people will have to come and see the action live this weekend." The popular programme was re-invented by Channel 5 last year after a 17 year absence and this weekend Morecambe will take on teams from Huddersfield, Blackburn, Wrexham, Wirral and Mold.

The It's a Knockout fun includes teams doing battle dressed as dinosaurs, chickens, penguins, ostriches and 12ft giants.

Old favourites such as the hamster race and the human skittles will also raise a laugh and a new feature includes teams dressing up as Tarzan and swinging through the air with coconuts between their legs.

"We looked at the Morecambe promenade site and thought it would be great place to stage one of the heats," said publicity spokesman, Kevin Wilson. "The celebrities are very keen to meet local people, one of them is a former Playboy cover girl and is stunning, and we're hoping to a few thousand people turn up to cheer on the contestants."