Massive response to Live 8 ticket lottery

Organisers of next month’s Live 8 concert have had nearly a million text requests for tickets following the launch of the ‘text lottery’ for tickets opened this morning.

There are 150,000 tickets available for the concert, which will take place at Hyde Park in London on July 2. Entrants have to text the answer to this question – Which city is hosting the forthcoming G8 summit being held near this year? A) Berlin, B) Moscow, C) Edinburgh – to 84599 before midnight on June 12. After that date, a computer will randomly select 66,500 people who will each win a pair of tickets.

The concert, which is the brainchild of Live Aid organiser Bob Geldof, aims to highlight world poverty and put pressure on the leaders at the G8 summit to cancel the debt of developing countries.

Four other concerts are also set to take place in Berlin, Rome, Philadelphia and Paris, coinciding with the London event. Stars participating at the Hyde Park concert include Madonna, Robbie Williams, Coldplay, REM, Elton John and Scissor Sisters.

The event has received the support of the government. Last week, Chancellor Gordon Brown announced plans to write off £500,000 in VAT from the staging of the Live 8 concert. The Chancellor also plans to unveil his proposals for Africa, dubbed a ‘modern Marshall Plan’ at next month’s G8 summit, which take place in Gleneagles, Scotland between July 6 - 8. The plans include 100% debt relief and doubling of foreign aid.

Mr Geldof is also calling for people to march on Edinburgh on July 6, the opening day of the G8 summit, for an ‘anti-poverty party’, which has been called “The Long Walk to Justice”.

Mr Geldof also announced plans for 'Sail 8' today, which aims to encourage British sailors to bring passengers across the Channel to participate in the Edinburgh march. It has been reported that Dame Ellen MacArthur may participate.

Texts for Live 8 concert tickets cost £1.50, plus standard text message charge. There is no limit to the number of entries per person.

Entrants must be aged 16 and over. Entries can also be sent be post to: Live 8 Ticket Competition, PO Box 4026, Leamington Spa, CV31 9AZ to arrive no later than 1pm on June 10.

(KMcA/SP)