It will take place on Lyme Regis beach on Saturday, September 6. Gillan - who has sold more than 100 million albums and has a home in the Dorset seaside town - astonished organisers by volunteering to take part.

After hearing that organizers were planning to include the Deep Purple hit in the set of songs for the giant beach band to perform, he sent them a note saying: "I hear you might be doing Smoke with the massed guitars and if that is the case I thought I'd offer my services if you need a singer."