THOUSANDS of people descended on Upton for a four day jazz festival.

Upton Jazz Festival saw well-known figures perform throughout the weekend, including Bev Pegg and British Jazz Award-winners Alan Barnes, Amy Roberts and Craig Milverton.

New faces included Paris-based Mama Shakers, BBC favourites the Basin Street Brawlers, Tom Bell with his boogie-woogie piano, guitar wizard Madi Stimpson and the Django Reinhardt-inspired Fret and Fiddle.

A spokesman for the festival said: "It is one of the best atmospheres we have had for years.

"We had wall-to-wall sunshine and a host of international stars.

"The fringe festival was very popular, raising money for the Nathan Tomkins Trust."

The festival returned to the town centre for its 33rd event after more than two decades away from the historic centre, first when it moved to marquees on Fish Meadow and later to the sports field.

The spokesman said that the return to the centre of the town was popular with visitors.

She added: "The feedback we have had from pubs is that it was a much more intimate atmosphere and that people preferred that."

Upton Memorial Hall, the King’s Head and Swan pubs and the Star Hotel will hosted some of the festival’s 50-plus gigs, along with the parish church and the Boathouse.

Jazz also rang out from the Under The Bridge venue.

The festival which took place from Thursday to Sunday, also attracted international stars including Jazz Connection, from Holland, Keith Nichols and his Ragamuffins, some of whom hail from Australia, and James Evans fresh from New Orleans.

In addition, the Best of Young Jazz, which celebrated the rising stars of the jazz world through a year-long outreach programme in schools, colleges and conservatoires, saw talented youngsters play in a venue at the back of Panes Garage.