Thousands rock at Shrewsbury Fields Forever festival

Thousands of music fans rocked out to a host of performances at the first ever Shrewsbury Fields Forever festival, as organisers hailed the two-day extravaganza as "amazing".

The Charlatans, Radio One DJ Zane Lowe and a member of Pendulum were among acts keeping crowds entertained at County Showground in Berwick Road.

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Organiser Dene Edwards today said about 4,000 people attended the event, which he said went well despite not being a sell-out.

He said: "It was amazing and just something to see a few thousand people congregating in the middle of Shrewsbury. When you sit back and look around, it was a great feeling and a real buzz. The feedback from the public has been really positive. Having it at this time of year offers a different dynamic and people came prepared for the weather.

"It is great to get the big names in Shrewsbury. There was the community element as well with the local charities, such as Woodford Foundation doing a silent disco. It helps the charities to reach a different age group."

On Saturday, Utah Saints and Lisa Pin Up got the main dance tent bouncing in the afternoon and early evening, while Sunshine Underground, who hail from Shrewsbury and Telford, were given a strong reception for their main stage slot. Lead singer Craig Wellington told the crowd he was delighted to be back playing in his home town.

"It is a privilege and an honour – it should be the first of many festivals here," he said.

The night was rounded off by a crowd-pleasing performance from headliners The Charlatans, who raced through their back catalogue in a 90-minute set including songs such as The Only One I Know and North Country Boy.

On Sunday, the likes of Friends Electric and Fenech Soler had main stage slots, while the main dance tent played host to performances from DJ Woody, Krafty Kuts and Kissy Sell Out.

Headliner Zane Lowe's show closed the festival from inside the dance tent. He had originally been scheduled to play on the main stage, but with the majority of the crowd in the tent throughout the day and temperatures dropping, it was moved inside.

By Chris Burn