Emma Thomas, head steward of Cambridge Rock Festival, reflects on a successful event.

The sun shone, the music played, and the beer flowed in Ely as Ben's Yard provided an excellent new (and hopefully permanent) home for the 20th year of the Cambridge Rock Festival.

Started 20 years ago at Huntingdon Racecourse, the then-Rocking Beer Fest has gone from strength to strength.

This year saw firm favourites Eddie and the Hot Rods (of Do anything you want to do, fame) close the festival on the Emerald stage; they played at the very first festival in 2004.

The musical feast saw 72 bands play on three stages, over four days.

Classic rock, blues, folk rock, alternative rock, and bands beyond classification, (how do you categorised the enigma that is John Otway?) wowed the crowds and provided first class entertainment.

The festival is small, perfectly formed, and entirely run by volunteers; 183 of them this year.

Bad Uforia, from Norway, took the award for furthest distance travelled, closely followed by King King who flew into Glasgow from Switzerland and then travelled overnight by coach down to Ely to perform.

The question on every ones lips at the end of the four days was: Same time next year? Watch this space...

(Image: Paula Horsley)

(Image: Andrew Moore)