A FLOTILLA of about 30 yachts have already signed up to take part in Sir Bob Geldof's Sail8 campaign, the Daily Echo can reveal.

The news came as top level talks were held in Southampton yesterday between the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Sail8 officials and the RNLI to try and iron out safety fears about the event.

Coastguard officials feared that a massive flotilla of boats crossing the English Channel could have proved a potential hazard to shipping in what is the busiest shipping lane in the world.

Now they say that further talks will take place between the agencies and Sail8 in the lead-up to the event so that safety issues can be dealt with.

A joint statement issued by Sail8 and the MCA said: "The Maritime and Coastguard Agency and other interested parties met with Sail8 organisers about issues around the Sail8 campaign - part of the Long Walk to Justice movement.

"It was a very constructive and positive meeting and all involved are committed to working together to make this event a safe one."

Website bosses at www.sail8.ybw.com, which is keeping a record of people wanting to take part in the event, say more yachtsmen are expected to take part once more details emerge.

Geldof, the former Boomtown Rat and Band Aid founder announced on Monday how he was appealing to the south's sailors and boat owners to ferry thousands of demonstrators across the Channel to join Britain's biggest ever protest rally in Scotland. The Irish singer wants one million people to converge on the Gleneagles Hotel in Edinburgh for the opening of the G8 summit on July 6.