BOLTON'S most dedicated Oasis fans were so keen to get close to their heroes that they arrived at the stadium 15-hours before the band were due on stage.

Richard Faulkner and his friend Philip Smith were waiting outside the Reebok Stadium at 5am to queue for a standing spot in front of the stage.

But they still were not the first to arrive. Matthew Parry, aged 19, Tom Parkin, aged 21 and Rina Hurry, aged 20, arrived at 6pm last night after travelling all the way from Wolverhampton in the West Midlands.

Security guards took pity on them as the temperatures fell overnight and allowed them to sleep in a marquee which had been put up outside the stadium for the big event. And while they were doing that Noel Gallagher revealed his plan for the concert - the most eagerly awaited gig ever in Bolton.

Noel said: "We are doing about five songs from the new record and the rest of it is all greatest hits, I think.

"If it stays dry and we play all right then it will be great because everybody knows the songs. All the lot of them are classics of the modern day."

The news was music to the ears of Richard and Philip from Astley Bridge. Richard's mum, Sandra Faulkner, from Churchill Drive, Little Lever, said: "He is extremely enthusiastic and determined to get near Oasis.

"It will be his first concert which is making him even more excited.

"I couldn't believe it when he queued for tickets while it was hailing last December.

"People were being removed from the queue with hypothermia, but Richard didn't give up.''

The 16-year-old former Canon Slade School pupil said: "I camped out for tickets last year so it would have been daft not to be there first thing so I could get one of the best spots inside on the day."

The Bolton concert will be the first time the band has played in Britain for two years.

Liam Gallagher sent this message to his northern fans: "It's gonna be straight out and out rock 'n' roll which is the way I like it. That's what I'm in - a rock 'n' roll band."