LISKEARD is to get its own radio station in the run-up to Christmas.

Liskeard FM will go live on November 28 and will be on air around the clock until Christmas Day.

The radio station, which is privately funded, is being put together by a group of local residents and traders, under the guidance of experienced radio man Dean Petvin-Moore, the owner of Liskeard Carpets.

Dean, a presenter for seven years on Malibu FM in Newquay and then Atlantic FM, before it became Heart Radio, will be the voice of the breakfast show. He promises cheery chat, information and music.

The station will run from a small office at Liskeard Carpets.

'This is because I have the technical know-how, and if there is a problem for one of the presenters during the day I can just nip up the stairs,' he said.

Deputy mayor Phil Seeva, trader Ray Meadows and Dean's wife Nicola are all part of the team. Other locals are on board and the station is looking to involve students at the community college.

The programmes will be live during the day, with automated content through the early hours. The broadcasts will feature a range of DJs and presenters, a mix of music, including local bands and singers, and chat with guest appearances. There will also be reports from around the town.

'Music has a wonderful ability to make people smile and there's plenty to smile about in this town,' said Dean.

'It's our aim that Liskeard FM will reach out to everyone in the town and surrounding areas and will hopefully bring people together in the run-up to Christmas. It will be very local and good fun, and we want the community to get involved,' he said. The station, which will operate under a restricted service licence, gets its broadcasting frequency on October 14, and will be heard across an eight-mile radius.