WIRRAL ukulele players are among more than 100 performing in a mass singalong of the classic lullaby You Are My Sunshine in aid of Clatterbridge Cancer Charity's Go Green appeal next weekend.

They will join fellow musicians from ten Merseyside ukulele bands for World Ukulele Day open-air jam in Liverpool city centre on Saturday, February 2.

Performances will take place at six busking locations in and around the Liverpool One shopping and leisure complex, from 1pm until 5pm, at South John Street, the John Lewis steps, the Bierkeller, Key Court, the Galleria, and Paradise Street.

The singalong, on the John Lewis steps leading down from Chavasse Park, starts at 3pm.

There will be further evening performances inside the Bierkeller from 7-10pm.

Bands taking part are Splintered Ukes, D'Ukes of Hazzard, the Secret Ukulele Band, Ukulele Club Liverpool, and Wirral band Broken Strings.

Also signed up are Ormskirk Ukulele Band, Wirral Ukulele Fanatics, the YinYanBand, Uke n Dream and The Travelling Wannabes.

Proceeds will go to Clatterbridge Cancer Charity's campaign to raise £15million for construction of a new specialist hospital in Liverpool city centre and improvements to the Wirral site.

The idea to get the city smiling with a singalong was inspired by the late Beatle George Harrison's love of the ukulele. He wrote: "Everybody should have and play a 'uke'. It's so simple to carry with you and it is one instrument you can't play and not laugh!"

The bands hope to encourage more people to pick up the instrument, enjoy music and maybe join one of Merseyside’s growing number of ukulele clubs and bands.

They also hope to raise awareness of other ukulele events happening in the region including the annual summer strum, which will celebrate its fifth anniversary at Hoylake rugby club in July.

Pat Ross-Davies, from Newton, a singer with Wirral band Broken Strings who will be performing on the day, co-founded the Summer Strum festival.

Pat said: "You can't help but smile when you pick up a ukulele, as George Harrison said. It's wonderful for improving well-being and giving people a sense of purpose, it creates new friendships and spreads waves of positivity throughout the community.

"We hope lots of people will come along to listen and it will put a smile on their faces."

You Are My Sunshine was first recorded in 1939 by country band the Pine Ridge Boys from Atlanta, USA and has been covered by numerous major artists including Doris Day, Nat King Cole, Johnny Cash, Aretha Franklin, The Beach Boys, Bryan Ferry Carly Simon and Yusuf Islam.

Other popular tunes audiences can expect to hear on the day are upbeat ukulele versions of classics such as Johnny Cash's Folsom Prison Blues, Bad Moon Rising by Credence Clearwater Revival and Nancy Sinatra's These Boots Were Made for Walking, as well as ukulele twists on modern pop songs by the likes of Daft Punk and The Killers.

D'Ukes band leader Dave Cornett from Bebington, said: "It's lovely seeing people’s reactions when we perform, the smiles spread and it’s just really good fun.

"There will be World Ukulele Day events going on around the world and we’re delighted to be involved in this one for Liverpool."

For more information on the ukulele day, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/2165151760468360/

For more on the Clatterbridge Cancer Charity Appeal visit: www.clatterbridgecc.nhs.uk/charity/fundraise/lets-go-green-clatterbridge