WIRRAL'S International Guitar Festival continues tonight, Wednesday, with a return visit to Birkenhead by Nick Harper as part of his UK tour.

The son of legendary UK singer-songwriter Roy, London-born Nick is at Pacific Road Arts Centre at 8pm.

Songs that are intense and emotionally charged combined with superb guitar playing, soulful vocals and Nick's charismatic showmanship have proved popular with Guitar Festival fans and tonight's show promises to be no different.

His live shows feature his own compositions and well-loved covers of songs by Elvis Presley, Frank Zappa and Monty Python among many others.

Nick has played the guitar since the age of 10 and grew up surrounded by the likes of Keith Moon, Led Zepellin's Jimmy Page and Robert Plant and Pink Floyd's Dave Gilmour.

After six studio albums, a double live CD and 2 EPs, Nick's work is still as fresh and vital as that of his first solo release in 1994. Between solo albums, Nick tours with a vengeance.

Nick's first single released for download on iTunes happened in May.. Taken from his new album Miracles For Beginners, Blue Sky Thinking quickly went to number one in the iTunes download chart.

All proceeds from the single were donated to the Love Hope Strength Foundation.

Nick has just returned from Nepal, after setting a new world record for the highest gig on earth at Kala Pattar above Mount Everest Base Camp on October 21, while helping raise more than £200,000 for the fight against cancer, before going on to play as part of the Love Hope Strength all-star band to approximately 20,000 people in Kathmandu.

The Pacific Road gig is part of Nick's "Back From The Naughty Step Tour".

Now in its 19th year, the guitar festival opened last Wednesday with a sell-out show by Gary Murphy and his band at PacifIc Road Arts Centre.

According to organiser Rob Smith, it seems Wirral is in the grip of festival fever.

"The level of interest this year has been tremendous and we are certainly reaping the benefits of last year's festival," he told the Globe.

"The programme has generated a real buzz and excitement. The tickets are selling well and there are at least five shows that have sold out, which is great."