Splash out your cash on Pop Idol for N Hfd's Pool

A pair of tickets for the glitzy world Pop Idol final is going under the hammer in an on-line auction – with the proceeds going to help pay for a new pool for North Herefordshire.

The World Idol final brings together the winners from the sensational Pop Idol TV series which have taken off around the world in recent years.

The global search for the world’s biggest pop superstar reaches a climax on New Year’s Day when UK's own Will Young takes to the global stage to compete with ten other national winners to claim the World Idol title.

Whoever buys the pair of tickets – which are not on general sale but being auctioned on Ebay – will be in London for the final, which takes place on Thursday, January 1, and features the winners from the first series of Pop Idol in 11 countries around the world.

The final promises to be an extravagant evening where the winning bidders will become part of the audience to watch Will Young (winner of the first British Pop Idol series), Kelly Clarkson (winner of the first American Idol series), Pete Waterman, Ant and DEC…and the man some people love and some people hate, judge Simon Cowell, who will oversee the judging of the American entry.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of a world-wide phenomenon,” said Herefordshire Councillor June French, who managed to secure the tickets and decided to put them up for auction to raise funds for the new north Herefordshire pool.

“These are dream tickets which money simply can’t buy,” added Cllr French, who lives in Leominster, where the new pool is to be built. “We want people to splash out their cash, have a fantastic time, and know they are helping a vitally important cause,” she added.

The tickets are being auctioned through the on-line auction house Ebay. Anyone wanting to bid for the tickets should visit www.ebay.com

The first half of the World Idol final will be screened on ITV on Christmas Day. This will involve performances by the national Pop Idol winners.

On New Year’s Day, the show will be hosted by popular TV stars Ant and Dec, and will involve counting up the votes from around the world.

“Anyone who’s seen the show will know what a nail-biting time it is for the contestants. Ant and Dec will host the event and the whole evenings promises to be non-stop fun,” added Cllr French, who will watch the programme from her home at Leominster.

“The money raised through the tickets sale will go directly towards the cost of the swimming pool. This is a vital facility we desperately need for the north of Herefordshire,” she said.

“The people of Leominster and the surrounding area have already begun fund-raising and it’s encouraging to hear of their successes so far.

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“Hopefully people will dive in and put in a really good bid for these tickets knowing their money will be going to a facility which will be used by everyone, from our youngest to our oldest residents.”

Herefordshire Council decided to push ahead with the new pool and promised to fund the majority of the £2.5 million cost of the facility after Sport England withdrew its support to build the new pool.

The “We Want Our Pool” campaign has been set up by local residents and is aiming to make a contribution of £250,000 towards the cost of the facility to allow a full 25-metre length plus training facility to be included.

The money raised by the sale of the tickets will go towards this fund.

Tenders for the new building are due to go out in January 2004, the contract is expected to be awarded in early March next year with work is due to start on site in March/April.

The pool should open its doors to the first swimmers in July 2005.