Events like Aspatria Music Festival should be encouraged to thrive, said the stars of one of its headline acts.

Eight-piece The South topped the billl on Saturday night, bringing the house down with Beautiful South hits including Don't Marry Her, Perfect 10 and Rotterdam.

Before their performance, the band's Dave Hemingway and Ali Wheeler said the atmosphere of the event was brilliant.

Dave added: "Having festivals like this is important for musicians. It's a good thing.

"New festivals like this are popping up all over and it gives bands, especially local ones, a great oppportunity.

"We are hand-picking the ones we play and chose Aspatria because it looked good - we were right."

Ali said: "We love playing events like these and hopefully creating a lovely atmosphere, playing songs everyone can sing along to."

Aspatria Music Festival saw hundreds of people pack into two marquees at the town's rugby club for three days of entertainment.

It started on Friday night, with local bands including Youth Salute, Colt 45, Mojo Rising and Mama Sang and the Robot.

Boomin, who have played the festival for the last two years, brought the house down in the main marquee as the Friday night headliners.

Sunshine on Saturday brought out the crowds and acts played to big audiences all day.

Highlights included Workington acoustic acts Flick Lister and Luke Matear and on the main stage the Jack Duster Band and The Buyers Club.

One of the best received bands was Hammerhead, who played the main marquee from 6pm.

Lead singer Pecker Woods gave out free tots of whisky to audience members as he wandered around the marquee, singing and throwing out prizes, including T-shirts, to people who were near the front of the stage.

They warmed up the crowd for the headline support The Lottery Winners.

The band, who have recently signed to record label Warner, had the audience in the palm of their hand, with lead singer Thom Rylance leading a mass sing-along.

The South topped off a fantastic day of music, leaving the audience on a high.

Yesterday gave the crowds more of the same, with Bugenhagen, Soul City Walkers and Broken English playing to the packed marquee.

Colin Rumney, one of the festival organisers, said: "It has been a fantastic weekend and The South were phenomenal. It's going to be hard to top this next year."

Festival-goer Maureen Mattinson, 55, of Bounty Avenue, Maryport, said: "The festival has such a lovely atmosphere and my highlight has been The Rucksacks.

"Adam, one of the members, is my nephew!"

Sally Reed, 24, of Plumbland, said: "Boomin were brilliant and it's been a great atmosphere with such good music."

Katie Barron, of Aspatria and Peter Corrigan, of Wigton, have attended the festival since the first three years ago.

Peter said: "Hammerhead were my favourite performance. It's been a really good day."

Katie added: "Boomin was my highlight. We were dancing away all night."