Lakefest 2021 ready for Sir Tom Jones and thousands of revellers

Lakefest, held over the next four days at Eastnor Castle near Ledbury, was cancelled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but is thrilled to be back in 2021.

The Red Devils Army Parachute Display Team will also be making an appearance at the festival, along with Scouting for Girls, Razorlight and Seasick Steve.

Announcing Sir Tom Jones earlier this year, the festival described the singer as a legend after a 60-year career where he has sold more than 100 million records.

OTHER NEWS:

• The reasons why bins in Herefordshire are not being emptied
• Closure of Fownhope road near Hereford abandoned after backlash
• Emergency services at lorry crash on Herefordshire border

Lee Martin, from Lakefest, said at the time: "I feel doubly blessed.

"After the extraordinary and uncertain year that we have all had to live through, to be returning to our field of dreams with such a timeless artist: someone who embodies integrity and has never been anything other than cool is something truly special.

"A just reward, for the patience of all those lovely Lakefest customers who rolled over their 2020 tickets and kept us alive."

Sir Tom Jones, 80, rose to fame in the 1960s with a string of top 10 hits, before continuing his career over the next 60 years, including the theme song from the James Bond film Thunderball.

More recently, he featured on BBC One talent show The Voice as a coach.

OTHER NEWS:

• GCSE results day 2021 in Herefordshire – latest updates
• Helicopter and attack alarm noise concerns at Hereford SAS camp
• Safety fence to be put up on river Wye bridge in need of repair

On Wednesday, an aerial picture of the site was shared on social media saying more than 2,000 pitches had been marked out in prepartion for thousands of revellers.

Mr Martin also said he was delighted to have secured the Red Devils for one of their very few displays this year.

He said: "It was so important to me to add something a little bit special to this year’s celebrations: and as one of my team is a former paratrooper, we put this plan together, and it's incredibly rewarding to see it realised.

"No other freefall team in the world come in quite as fast or hard, and this is in part due to the fact that every one of the Devils is a serving soldier with Britain's elite Parachute Regiment.”

Festival organisers have said the family-friendly event will exercise "every sensible precaution to create space” and help ensure covid safety. Other measures include extra toilets throughout the site, numerous hand sanitising stations and an enhanced cleaning programme.