THE HOLLIES drummer Bobby Elliott opened the first ever BrierFest.

Inspired by Byerden House Club’s one-day festival in Burnley last year, Brierfield Working Men's Club has organised the town's first ever two-day music festival.

More than 26 acts performed at the Walter Street club on the weekend of the first May bank holiday, which was co-ordinated by a committee which included Phil Schofield, from Bands and Venues Burnley and Pendle, along with Brierfield Working Men's Club members John Dobson, Luke Hamilton and Kenny Duggan.

More than 500 people visited the venue to watch the 14 different bands, including the 'amazing' four-piece Indie Colne rock group called Critical Reaction, and 10 artists, who each performed at the venue on the respective downstairs and upstairs stages in the two-floored building.

The festival was declared open my Mr Elliot, who is still playing for the classic British rock group the Hollies. It was described as an 'emotional' moment by the organisers.

The Hollies drummer, who was born in Burnley, gave a short speech about 'fetching the music home', which ran with the event's theme of promoting local music.

The 76-year-old, who formerly worked at a local grocers shop, used to practice drumming on biscuit tins in the store before he met Tony Hicks, born in Brierfield who brought him into the Hollies.

Another traditionalist 1960s band, the Lancashire-based Backbeats, performed straight after the Hollies drummer gave his speech.

Mr Schofield, the chief organiser, said: "In my head we got it just right. I thought it would be an amazing event and that's exactly what it was. We brought the music to Brierfield.

"No one expects something like this to happen in Brierfield because nothing ever happens here.

"There will 100 per cent be another one next year. It was such an amazing atmosphere and put a lot of hard work into this which has paid off.

"This is never going to end."

Mr Schofield hopes the second Brierfest will be performed again on the May bank holiday again.

The concert helped to raise more than the £3,000 for Pendleside Hospice. A total of 25 sponsors for the event, including Asda and B&Q, helped to meet the fundraising target.