THE man acknowledged as the Godfather of ambient dance music is to appear at a benefit event for Blackburn hostage Paul Wells.

The Orb's Dr Alex Patterson has waived most of his fee for the charity bash at the Burnley Mechanics on March 28.

The event has been put together by Mayhem, the East Lancashire collection of DJs behind the annual dance nights at Accrington's Sound series of music festivals. Mayhem's Simon Dean, who lives in Barnoldswick, said the event had been arranged because of the way in which Paul, 26, of Bracken Close, Feniscowles, Blackburn, was captured while trekking in the Indian state of Jammu Kashmir.

He added: "Everyone I know has been out to India and travelled.

"We started out as free party people. I suppose we believe in people's rights to be able to travel wherever they want."

The mainstay of Mayhem is Simon, Dean Redford from Blackburn, and Guy Tattersall, 42, from Colne, who has travelled extensively around the Indian Sub-continent.

Simon added: "We thought it would be a very good thing to raise money for this cause."

"The events surrounding the capture of Paul Wells are terrible."

The evening is being supported Blackburn's Hayes Sound and Lighting and the Burnley Mechanics who are said to have offered the venue at a charity rate.

Tickets priced £8 will be available from Planet Records, Colne, the Ministry Of Blackburn, Colne, and Astonishing Sounds, Burnley.

The Orb are known for their spectacular live shows and a string of underground hits.

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