DANCING, singing and basking in the sun, crowds came in their hundreds to sit back and relax at the fifth MantonFest on Saturday.

The harmonies from a whole host of bands filled the village as the musicians performed genres from acoustic to rock and roll with the festival kicking off on Friday evening at The Outside Chance.

Throughout Saturday, people young and old spilled into the location just outside Marlborough at the Manton Grange Watermeadow in Preshute Lane, taking advantage of the sunshine and snacking on picnics while enjoying the live music, as well as the pizza, hog roast and burgers on offer from the different food stalls.

“The atmosphere was fantastic,” chairman and organiser Roger Grant said. “It was a lovely warm day everybody had a dance and we filled the middle of the field.

“In the afternoon it was very much a family affair, there were children running about having fun. In the evening when the children went home, it started to get down to some serious music and nobody left and people were singing, we did very well indeed. The takings were up and there was no trouble at all, everybody was happy.”

This year, the theme of the festival was 70s music and the headline act was T Rextasy, the only T. Rex tribute act recognised by frontman Marc Bolan’s estate. The band has performed at Wembley Arena, Hyde Park and venues in Toyko and Sydney and proved to be a hit with the music fans in Manton.

Mr Grant added: “It was absolutely superb especially when T Rextasy were on, everybody was up and dancing, lights were flashing it was unbelievable.

“It wasn’t what they expected. They were extremely impressed, the variety and quality was better than we have ever had. I’ve always been a keen follower of the late 50s music and this year I went more modern and they loved it, one person came all the way down from Edinburgh.”

Money raised from ticket sales are still being counted but Mr Grant believes thousands will have been raised towards the Manton village hall restoration and Alzheimer's Support.