A WIRRAL community radio station could now be on air for seven days a week after being granted a five-year broadcasting licence.

It means Seven Waves Radio, based at Leasowe Community Centre in Twickenham Drive, can also train more budding broadcasters after receiving the news from telecommunications watchdog OFCOM this week.

It is one of only eight stations across the country to receive a licence. Other recipients are in Liverpool, Runcorn, Northwich, Lancaster, Chelmsford, Essex and Kent. It brings the number of licenses awarded to local stations since 2004 to 107.

Manager Pauline Murphy told the Globe: "At the moment we have a Restricted Service Licence, which means we could only broadcast twice a month. Now we have the licence, the sky's the limit. We can broadcast every day and will be able to train in excess of 500 would-be broadcasters."

The station offers a 12-week hands-on training course for budding broadcasters in all aspects of radio production. As far as Pauline is concerned, you are never too old to become a broadcaster. "Our youngest student is 16 years old and the oldest is 78!" She said: "We have an open-door' policy at the station and people from across Wirral and beyond. One of our students now works at Radio City, another works at Dune FM in Southport."

Community radio is, according to OFCOM, a third tier of radio that adds a valuable contribution to the services offered by the BBC and commercial radio sectors.

Peter Davies, Ofcom's director of radio and multimedia said "Community radio promises to bring vibrant and distinctive not-for-profit radio services to communities all around the UK. The large number of licences awarded in this first round reflects the high level of interest in this area."

Seven Waves next course starts on June 20.

If you are interested in radio production and would like to register, ring Pauline at the station on 0151 691 1595 or log onto: www.7waves.co.uk