Pop star Kate Bush has pulled the plug on a new version of the song which shot her to stardom - played entirely on ukulele.

Kate - who asked Rolf Harris to play the didgeridoo on the title track of her 1982 album The Dreaming - has banned the quirky rendition of her number one hit Wuthering Heights.

The tune is set to take Adur Festival by storm when it is performed by the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain tomorrow.

And a demo CD, produced by classical guitar star Richard Durrant, is already a hit with Radio 2 presenters Johnny Walker and Steve Wright.

Both are battling to be the first to play it on their shows - but only if the reclusive star allows The Ukes, as they're known, to release it.

Mr Durrant believes the unusual arrangement has potential to be a massive hit and is still trying to persuade Kate to change her mind.

He hoped to include the track on the Ukes' latest album, which he has just finished producing at his LongMan Records studio in Shoreham Beach.

But he was forced to withdraw Wuthering Heights on Friday and has replaced it with a number by Ms Dynamite.

Richard said: "I can see the headlines now - Bush says no to Ukes. It's an incredible version of her biggest hit and I reckon it would be an instant hit again if it was released now.

"However, we heard directly from her on Friday that she does not want it included on the album, which is a great shame.

"She's incredibly sensitive about that particular number because she wrote it when she was very young and she's very protective of it.

"The rest of the album is just amazing, packed full of cover versions of some great numbers performed in the Ukes' own unique style.

"We are going to send a copy of the album to Kate and we hope that she will change her mind and allow Wuthering Heights to be released as a single once she hears it."

Richard, who was a member of the band Sky, is chairman of Adur Festival, which started on Saturday and runs until June 15.

He first stumbled across the Ukes when he borrowed a tape of their work after meeting the brother of the eight-piece band's bass player.

One of the numbers which blew him away was Teenage Killer from their Anarchy In The Ukulele album. He immediately booked them for last year's Adur Festival and their appearance was a sell-out.

A spokeswoman for Kate Bush's record company EMI, said: "Kate is working on her new album and is currently unavailable for comment."

The Ukes appear at Shoreham Airport tomorrow at 8pm and release their album The Secret Of Life on LongMan Records on June 20.

To book tickets and for details of other festival events phone 01273 263300.