GUITARS On The Beach organisers are to hold two last-minute lessons for anyone keen to join more than 3,500 guitarists who have signed up to play with Deep Purple rock star Ian Gillan at next week’s giant guitar gala in Lyme Regis A world record attempt will be made to achieve the highest number of people simultaneously playing guitars in one place.

The Guitars On The Beach (GOTB) House Band will hold a crash course in learning the three record-bid songs at the Woodmead Halls, Lyme Regis, on Saturday from 2.30 to 4pm.

On the GOTB day, September 6, young guitarists from Lyme’s B Sharp music project will also teach the chords of the three songs in the Fender tent on the beach from 11am to 3pm Fender, the main sponsors of Guitars On The Beach, have donated 10 acoustic guitars to B Sharp for the lessons and for B Sharp to keep after the big guitar day.

Ben Kapur, the 21-year-old Lyme musician who, as the House Band’s lead guitarist, will be leading the huge sand band on the day, welcomed the Fender donation to B Sharp.

“I was part of B Sharp when I was younger, it’s a great project for encouraging young people to learn to play a musical instrument – as is Guitars On The Beach,” said Ben, one of the founders of GOTB.

At the Woodmead Halls on Saturday the House Band will teach all-comers the chords to the record-bid songs, ‘Rave On’ [in G], ‘Rocking All Over The World’ [in A] and ‘Smoke On The Water’ [in G]. The 90-minute class will cost £3 with all money going to five charities supported by GOTB. Guitars On The Beach will be officially opened at 11am by the Mayor of Lyme Regis, Cllr Sally Holman, with the Town Crier Alan Vian.

The all-day event, continuing until 7pm, will showcase 14 local acts, featuring all styles of guitar from folk to blues and rock to classical and headlined by Lyme favourites Papa Le Gal.

Organiser Geoff Baker is encouraging all guitarists to take part by playing along with any of the songs being performed.

He said: “The play-alongs proper will start at 3.15pm, with the record attempts from 4 to 5pm, but there will be bands performing before and after those times and we want people to feel free to join in and play along whenever they like.”

Lyme-schooled actor Billy Geraghty, star of the West End Buddy Holly musical, will lead the giant band on ‘Rave On’.

Torquay guitarist Lars Mullen will lead the players on ‘Rocking All Over The World’ and legend Ian Gillan will lead the ensemble on ‘Smoke On The Water’.