Trafford to take to the airwaves with community radio station

It will be staffed by volunteers and will broadcast from a studio, currently being built, inside a former suite in Altrincham's Cresta Court Hotel.

The team is grateful for the support the project has received from the hotel and it will be heard only on the Internet.

Pete Brettle, Trafford Sound's station manager said the fact the service will only be available online and on mobile phone apps means a broadcasting licence isn't required.

He said during the daytime there will be a mixture of music and what's on news relating to events taking place in the area. in the evening TS will cater for people with specialist musical tastes and this will include giving air time to artists based in the borough and across Greater Manchester.

Trafford's musical heritage has been well-documented with Morrissey and Stone Roses front man Ian Brown among the performers who grew up here.

Pete said the presenters come from a variety of backgrounds.

He said: "The presenters are a mixture of people and there was a 'get involved' section on our website which they used to contact us initially. Depending on their level of training and their commitment to the station they will be trained up. Some have already got considerable broadcast experience, others are novices. Some have come from hospital radio or student radio."

He added that there are also plans to cover sport with Altrincham FC and Trafford FC taking priority in terms of football coverage. But Pete said there will also be some coverage of the Premiership.

The aim is to start broadcasting by Easter and Trafford Sound will be paid for by a mixture of advertising and fundraising events like the Live and Local gig night at Urmston Working Men's Club on January 30.

Pete added: "The costs are not dramatic because we won't have any paid staff but we still have to pay things like copyright and there are administrative costs."

* Anyone interested in finding out more should visit traffordsound.org.