TV PRESENTER Alex Jones will be hosting the Urdd National Eisteddfod opening ceremony when it comes to Llancaiach Fawr Manor in May.

The organisers of the Urdd Eisteddfod, Welsh medium youth movement Urdd Gobaith Cymru, revealed the line up for the festival’s opening ceremony and its two other shows.

The six day youth touring festival will be coming to the Caerphilly county manor, in Nelson, between May 25 and May 30 this year. It will be the culmination of two years of preparation work by staff and volunteers.

The festival will give more than 45,000 children the opportunity to join in a celebration of literature, music and performing arts as well as holding competition finals after weeks of regional rounds.

The opening concert, on Sunday, May 25, will see Alex Jones joined by the musical director of Welsh male voice choir Only Men Aloud, Tim Rhys Evans.

Performing at the opening ceremony will be TV host and singer Matt Johnson, choir Only Kids Aloud and Welsh speaking musician Kizzy Crawford.

Details have also been released of the Eisteddfod’s two other shows taking place that week. On Saturday, May 24 and Monday, May 26, 30 young people from three South Wales medium schools will be performing a musical at Blackwood Miners Institute.

100 primary children from eleven different schools in the Caerphilly area will then perform in the festival’s primary show which tells the true story of an Aberbargoed man during the Second World War.

This year the 20 acre festival site at the manor will host a funfair, around 80 stalls, an activity field with a climbing wall, quad bikes and trampolines as well as live bands performing.

Sara Davies from Caerphilly, who is a teacher at Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni and the chairwoman of the local Executive Committee, said: “We’ve had so much support over the last two years, from the south of the county to the north.

“But if I had to choose one highlight, it would have to be the proclamation ceremony in October when over 4,000 people joined a parade to officially welcome the Eisteddfod to the area.

“I very much look forward to welcoming people from across Wales to our area at the end of May.”