Stars join McCartney for fund-raising drive

War against terrorism: Benefit Concert

Sir Paul McCartney has persuaded a host of veteran pop stars to take part in a New York benefit concert this week for the victims of the World Trade Centre attack.

Joining the former Beatle will be Mick Jagger, who will be performing on the same stage as Sir Paul for the first time since 1964, when the Beatles and the Rolling Stones played at the NME poll winners party.

Sir Elton John, David Bowie, Eric Clapton, Bono, Pete Townshend of the Who, Billy Joel, Janet Jackson and Bon Jovi have also confirmed they will take part in the Concert for New York City on Saturday.

Originally Sir Paul had wanted to hold a modest show to raise cash for the families of firefighters who died. Saturday's event will take place in front of 20,000 people at Madison Square Garden and be watched by an estimated three billion people. The Hollywood actors Meg Ryan, Jim Carrey, Susan Sarandon, Mike Myers, John Cusack and Michael J Fox will join the singers on stage.

Sir Paul, who is dedicating the proceeds of his next single "From a Lover to a Friend" to the families of firefighters who died in the attacks, was in the city on an airliner and saw the disaster unfold.

The singer, whose father was a fireman in Liverpool during the Second World War, said: "Through staying in New York for some days after the attack I was able to witness the tre-mendous heroism that has come out of the city."