IT may be one of the newer kids on the festival circuit, but V certainly wasn't holding back the punches as it delivered a killer line-up of acts old and new.

In the absence of Glastonbury this year, music fans from Worcestershire headed north rather than south - and, almost in homage to last year's mudbath at the Somerset spectacular, the heavens opened at the Stafford site.

However, it failed to dampen the spirits of festivalgoers entertained by Modfather Paul Weller and Faithless's early Saturday evening crowd-lifting set including trancey dance classic Insomnia.

While revitalised blues band Gomez also hit the spot,

ska-influenced Staines act Hard-Fi couldn't quite convert the anthems of their debut release to the festival stage largely due to frontman Richard Archer's vocals recalling an off-key pub karaoke singer.

Meanwhile if rising star Lily Allen's claims to be nervous were true, she certainly didn't show it as she arrived on stage clutching a cigarette and bottle of cider to pull off a great performance of hits including Smile.

It was a classic Saturday night showdown as Razorlight on the Channel Four stage had to contend with being up against the legendary former Smiths frontman Morrissey, but the former relished the challenge as they blew away the audience with a run-through of their hits undoubtedly made for this environment, Morrissey's show paling in comparison.

The fun was due to continue in Stafford yesterday, as titans Radiohead returned to the festival circuit. Also expected to be a highlight judging by his performances at Chelmsford the previous day was Canadian oddity Beck.

Let's hope for more of the same (but minus the rain) next year!