THE Dean's folk musicians are coming together to record a fundraising album for the Hands Off Our Forest campaign.

Dick Brice, Mike Edwards, Bob Smith, Asha Faria-Vare and Max Freedman-Fisher are all recording specially penned protest songs, after having aired them for the first time at Monday's Hoof rally.

The musicians will record together at Lyndon Webb's home studio near Monmouth before the end of January.

The CD will be sold for £5 and proceeds will go to the Hands Off Our Forest campaign. In the event of winning the battle to keep the Forest in public hands, any remaining Hoof funds will be divided between the Friends of Lydney and Dilke Hospitals.

Edge End singer-songwriter Mike Edwards, who is co-ordinating the CD, said: "The CD album will be varied in musical styles, but it will carry an important message – that we cannot afford to lose the land in which we live to commercial exploitation, at the cost of our quality of life.

"I sincerely hope that Mark Harper buys a copy and listens carefully to every word and note on it."