It was all hands to the pump at the weekend as Wiltshire's biggest festival celebrated a milestone birthday.

Music fans from all over the world flocked to picturesque Stowford to help celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Trowbridge Village Pump Festival.

The Pump has grown from humble beginnings. It began in the back room of The Lamb Inn in Mortimer Street, Trowbridge but is now rated as one of the top four festivals in the country.

But despite its popularity, the Pump has managed to retain its homely atmosphere making it a popular venue for the whole family.

Alan Briars, event organiser, watched from the sidelines. He's pleased that the Pump has managed to remain unique, despite its rapid growth.

He said: "The Trowbridge Village Pump Festival was conceived over a few pints in the pub.

"It started life in The Lamb's back garden but as the years have gone by, it's grown and grown. The Pump has now become a tradition."

The Pump has benefited from its current setting on the edge of the River Frome at Stowford Manor Farm.

The owners gladly give the land over every year.

Folk fans would have been forgiven for seeing double when the Scottish twins Craig and Charlie Reid took to the stage as The Proclaimers. The boys have been touring the UK and Ireland.

Their rendition of the popular Letter from America really got the crowd on its feet and raised the tempo of the whole event.

The boys have not been spoilt by their amazing popularity either. Everyone who appears at the festival is asked what they would like to drink and the twins were happy with just lemonade.

Despite being in the middle of a tour, Craig told us Stowford was one of his favourite venues.

He said: "We have performed at many venues but the reception we received at Stowford was terrific. We have never been greeted with such enthusiasm; the Pump has an atmosphere all of its own."

Making a welcome return to the festival this year was Guo Yue, the master Chinese bamboo flute player with his unique brand of music.

This year he teamed up with Joji Hirota and two female Japanese percussionists to give a haunting performance entitled Red Silk.

Brothers Tom, 36, and Syd Spencer, 21, made their first appearance at the Pump, with a tribute to their father, musician John Spencer, who died last year.

Syd sang Cry Baby Cry, a song written by his father for him when he was born, and it brought tears to both brothers' eyes.

The boys used to go to Stowford with their father when he appeared there, and they paid tribute to him by singing many of the songs he had written and performed.

Tom said: "The festival is just as I remembered it it's just got bigger. We could think of nothing better as a tribute to Dad than playing his songs at a venue he really loved."

Ref. 13848After a week of sunshine the weather took a turn for the worse at the weekend and the festival site was quickly covered in mud.

But the wet weather did nothing to dampen festivalgoers' spirits, who crowded the marquee to see main acts The Pro-claimers and Runrig.

Chocolate and fudge was how one helper described the mud: "Saturday night it was like melted chocolate, and on Sunday, after the sun came out, it turned into sticky fudge."