Hundreds of people turned out on Friday, Saturday and Sunday to welcome the return of the Chippenham Folk Festival – now in its 49th year.

The festival featured top-class acts, including Belshazzar’s Feast, and Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman, as well as other artists both local and from further afield.

The organisers, Chippenham Folk Festival, a community interest company, were delighted to be back after a break for the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dave Webber, one of the board members, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be back running a festival and are delighted with the turn-out.

“The Island Park was full of people watching the free events on the Community and Family Stage.

“And Chippenham High Street was packed for the parade of the Morris dancing teams.

“It was great to see the park and the streets of Chippenham alive again after two years of absence.

“It was so good to see the local community involved and to see so many young people get involved in traditional arts, dance, storytelling and circus skills.”

Mr Webber said the organisers had sold around 1,000 tickets for the events, and hundreds attending the free events.

This year’s folk festival, from May 27-29, featured live music concerts, ceilidhs, folk dance, a family festival and morris dancing.

The headline act on Sunday were Belshazzar’s Feast, who played a concert in St Andrew’s Church.

Festival audiences also got a chance to hear storytelling from Taffy Thomas, the National Storytelling Laureate.

Local artists included husband-wife duo, Bob and Gill Berry, the former organisers of the Chippenham Folk Festival, who have been performing for more than 30 years, as well as Clare’s Circus from Calne.

Three groups which perform at The Cause theatre in Chippenham were also on stage at the festival. They were the Cause Chorus, Gospel Rocks and Lingmara World Music Choir.

Local Morris dancing teams taking part included Bell’s Angels from Holt, Chippenham Morris, Devizes Jubilee Morris, Malmesbury Morris, Somerset Morris, and Northgate Rapper, Bath's only male sword-dancing team.

This year’s festival was cut short because of the May Bank Holiday being moved for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

It was supported by Chippenham Borough Lands Chasrity, Chippenham Town Council, The Rise Children’s Centre Group, Arts Council England, PPL PRS (United for Music) and The Association of Festival Organisers.

Next year’s 50th anniversary Chippenham Folk Festival will take place over the Bank Holiday from May 26-28.