‘Absolutely love our local Bardfest!’- festival-goers treated to The Feeling and Scouting for Girls

Thousands of people rocked to “outstanding” live music performances including The Feeling and Scouting for Girls at a top festival in a Suffolk village.

Enjoying its 10th anniversary year in 2019, Bardfest music festival on July 5 and 6 brought in 8,000 people who enjoyed a line-up of well-known names and up-and-coming acts from across the country.

The Feeling and Scouting for Girls each headlined a night, with other bands including Little Triggers, Rats and Cleargreen, all from the north-west.

There was also a real ale festival and children's festival, ensuring something to keep everyone happy.

The volunteer-run event raises funds for Bardwell sports and community club.

Bardfest founder and organiser Stephen Larder said: "The buzz the volunteers get from seeing four-and-a-half-thousand people jumping up and down at the end is phenomenal and we certainly had that last night [Saturday]. It was a great atmosphere."

Melissa Claydon, from Bury St Edmunds, managed to bag free tickets for Friday courtesy of Haart estate agents and enjoyed the festival with friends and her children.

She said: "There wasn't too many breaks between the music so the evening flowed well. And The Feeling were outstanding! They had the whole crowd on their feet dancing from start to finish! Absolutely love our local Bardfest!"

She added: "Bardfest is and has always been family orientated. So the children were all off playing in the children's area whilst the adults chatted and laughed.

"There was some lovely stalls around the area from home-made local honey to Bowen therapy massages and lots of food.

"What was nice is that you could take your own picnic."

The event also attracted 900 campers and 100 camper vans.

Mr Larder said the festival, which has grown in attendance every year, was now too big for volunteers to run alone so a new strategy will be explored for next year.