May start for new radio station

9:58am Monday 31st March 2008

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ANDOVER airwaves are set to come alive in less than two months when the town's new radio station begins broadcasting.

Located in purpose-built studios in Eastgate House on East Street, Andover Sound will start test transmissions on 6 May ahead of its full launch on the Spring Bank Holiday on 26 May.

The broadcast license was awarded to Tindle Radio in 2006, and although the group is still a shareholder in the station, plans to link it with Kestrel FM and Kick FM were scrapped earlier this year when ITV Meridian presenter Ian Axton took over its running.

He said: "I teamed up with Tindle in February and it's been all systems go since then.

"We will be broadcasting 24 hours a day, all from Andover.

"We won't be taking any other programmes from other stations and we'll be employing our own team of presenters.

He added: "Andover is very much on the up and there is a positive vibe about the town at the moment.

"The Andover Vision and Test Valley Borough Council have been incredibly helpful and I really believe a new station will be able to make a positive contribution."

Mr Axton, who was involved in setting up Salisbury-based Spire FM, said plans to house the station within The Lights were abandoned as a line of sight to a transmitter could not be established.

The station will broadcast on 106.4 FM.