EAST Lancashire opera singer Sean Ruane is to bring a bit of cheer to England's woeful Ashes campaign.

For tenor Sean has been selected to sing England's adopted anthem Jerusalem as well as the national anthem before the start of play for the fifth Test on January 2.

And with England being three-nil down in the series and having lost the Ashes back to Australia, Sean will be singing for pride not glory.

Sean said: "It is a big responsibility because although we might have lost the cricket we can still show them how to sing.

"We have got to show them at least we have still got pride and we will bounce back from this."

Burnley FC fan Sean, who lives in Rawtenstall with wife Louise, sang in front of 300,000 people in Trafalgar Square as part of last summers Ashes celebrations.

Cricket Australia bosses asked him to perform at this year's Ashes as they expected a repeat of the dramatic last series.

He said: "They thought it would be a big, spectacle on the last game like it was with the last series.

"They had me every day at the Oval during the last series so they were thinking get him out over here'."

As the only English singer at the Ashes, Sean feels a responsibility to the fans who have supported the team at home and in Australia.

He said: "I'm going out there out of pure love of sport and being English.

"It is a testament to the people who have travelled out there and there is going to be a lot who will travel to the last Test to support the team even though they have already lost the series."