THOUSANDS flocked to St Mary’s Park this weekend for the annual Festwich event.

Returning to the park for the sixth year, the tribute festival saw 10,000 people attend each day.

Organiser, Jools Taylor, said: “We have had a brilliant weekend. Both days all the tickets went well in advance. It’s amazing.

“Each year it’s getting better and better. I think it’s the best year we’ve had, for both attendance and the bands that have played.”

The event held Saturday and Sunday, featured around 35 live acts, playing on a main stage and a marquee stage.

Mr Taylor, who lives in Prestwich, said highlights included The Jilted Generation, a Prodigy tribute and Daft Punkx.

David Bowie tribute Aladdinsane also went down well with the crowds he said.

The free festival, which is held in the park off Bury New Road, raised almost £8,000 for Christie NHS Foundation Trust last year and Mr Taylor thinks they will be on course for a similar sum this year.

Money was raised through the sale of programmes at £2 each and volunteers were out on both days with buckets to accept donations.

The varied acts are split over the two days, with rock and metal tributes playing Saturday and pop and indie bands performing on Sunday.

Mentallica, Slipknowt, Motor Headache, The Machine Rages On and Thin Lizzy tribute, Black Rose, rocked the stages on Saturday.

On Sunday, The Antarctic Monkeys, Happy Mondaze, The Rozzers, AKA Noel Gallagher and Pearl Scam all entertained the crowds.

Mr Taylor, who also organises Boltfest, Festwich’s sister event, prides the event on being a family-friendly affair and plenty of children were there to enjoy the music.

He said: “It is a family event and we encourage that side of things, it’s a really nice atmosphere.”

Alongside the bands there were fairground rides, free face painting and zorbing to keep children entertained.

Plans for next year are already in motion said Mr Taylor, who added he and his team will be looking to incorporating suggestions from punters this weekend, who had a few suggestions of their own.

He said: “The feedback we’ve had so far has been really, really positive.

“We have had people asking for different types of acts next year and we’re looking at possibly including a comedy tent.”

He added he hoped to see everyone back next year.