Organisers of the Avebury Rocks sponsored walk and music festival are confident they will match last year’s profit of £30,000, despite the bad weather that dogged the day.

Proceeds from the event on Saturday will be shared between Prospect Hospice and the children’s leukaemia movement CALM.

It was organised by the Rotary Clubs of Marlborough and Swindon Thamesdown with the Love, Hope Strength Foundation.

The day started with a 20-mile walk from and back to Avebury, with some of the festival musicians playing at refreshment breaks along the route.

Seventy five walkers started off, with a further 55 joining in at Adam’s Grave near Alton Barnes for the final six miles back to Avebury for the evening concert.

David Frampton, president of Marlborough and District Rotary Club, said it had been feared the rain would affect audience number at the gig.

He said: “Far from it – we had about 800 taking part for the first time last year but this year we had 1,200 or more.

“Sound Knowledge in Marlborough was still selling tickets on Friday for the concert and Avebury Community shop was still selling them on Saturday afternoon.

“We made £30,000 last year and we hope to have repeated it this time.”

The proceeds have not yet been counted.

Among those taking part this year was singer-guitarist Nick Harper, who helps to organise the festival in memory of his mother, Monica Weston, the former headteacher of St Peter’s Primary School in Marlborough, who died of cancer.

He was joined on the walk by musicians Mike Peters, formerly from The Alarm, and Cy Curnin and Jamie West-Oram from rock band The Fixx.

The headline act at the concert on the village sports field was The Levellers, who hold the record for the largest mainstage crowd of 120,000 at Glastonbury Festival.

Mr Frampton said Saturday had been a massive success.

Bob Barrett, immediate past president of Thamesdown Rotary Club, said: “Let’s hope we have exceeded the £30,000 raised at last years event for the Prospect Hospice.”