A FORMER pupil of Bolton School is taking to the stage alongside chart-topper Gary Barlow.

Joel Rothwell has joined a line-up featuring the Take That frontman for a charity concert in aid of Help for Heroes.

The 20-year-old songwriter will be performing at The Hidden Wounds charity concert in an aircraft hanger at Robin Hood Airport, Doncaster, tonight.

Bury born Joel attend Bolton School until the age of 16 before going to Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School in Blackburn where he pursued his dream of a career in music.

He said: "It will be great to meet Gary but I'm not nervous yet, I'm just focussing on my performance, but I might be on the night. This is definitely one of the biggest things I've done. especially as a solo artist.

"I started putting out YouTube music videos when I was 16 and have just been trying to meet the right people and working on my music. I was also with a band for three and half years but Im solo now.

"It feels pretty amazing and my family have been really supportive. I'm still not where I want to be though, I want to be in the charts."

Joel, who lives in Manchester, is currently recording and preparing to release his debut solo album under Steelworks Studio with the support of songwriter and producer Eliot Kennedy, who has worked with the likes of the Spice Girls and Take That.

Kennedy and Barlow will be teaming up for tonight's concert which is dedicated to the memory of Leeds businessman and philanthropist Jimi Heselden who invented the Bastion defensive barriers for the British Army and donated more than £24 million to charity, including Help for Heroes.