A HEADLINE act at Nantwich's Acoustic Festival of Britain is preparing for an arduous 250-mile bike trek across the globe's most inhospitable terrain.

Rocker Steve Harley, Cockney Rebel singer and songwriter, has been signed up to appear at the inaugural festival on July 29.

The 70s icon might still be pulling in the crowds as a legendary performer, but the March 2007 ride through Death Valley will be a much more daunting experience.

Steve has agreed to tackle the 250-mile, seven-day challenge for the Mines Advisory Group (MAG), and will ride on a hi-spec tandem with retired City of London police chief supt, Tom Dickinson.

The trek across Death Valley will be especially difficult for Steve, who has difficulty balancing a bike due to childhood polio which damaged his right leg muscles.

He said: "It's a fantastic opportunity to see one of the most desolate and inaccessible places on God's earth, while raising awareness of the problem of landmines.

"These deadly devices kill and maim - they stay in the ground, silent and camouflaged by nature, long after brutal dictators and their armies have been deposed.

"They stop people getting back to normal - simple things like planting food crops, trading, going to school are obstructed - they can mean that people literally risk their lives to collect basic necessities like water.

"Life's for living and I'd like to see people affected by landmines able to get on with their lives."

The cyclists will begin their challenge at Beatty Junction and will cover 250 miles across California and Nevada, through altitudes ranging from sea level to 5,500ft and across desolate and scorching hot plains.

MAG has organised the ride to raise funding and awareness in its conflict recovery work.

Steve got involved with the charity after taking part in MAG's 350-mile trek across Cambodia in 2002.

He will be appearing at the inaugural Acoustic Festival of Britain on July 29 alongside numerous other legends, including The Stranglers and Grammy award-winning Del McCoury.

The festival is expected to attract more than 6,000 visitors into Nantwich.