Over 10,000 at first Camp Bestival

8:02pm Sunday 20th July 2008

The boss of an inaugural festival aimed at "yummy mummies and freaky daddies" has vowed to return next year for the event set amidst a 17th century castle.

More than 10,000 people descended on Lulworth Castle, Dorset to watch headliners Chuck Berry, singer Kate Nash and alternative band the Flaming Lips at the first Camp Bestival.

Some queued for up to three hours as organisers had to find extra parking and camping areas when the site filled up after 3pm on the first day, Friday.

Extra toilets had to be found to cater for the new camp site after some complaints from people with children about a lack of facilities.

Organiser and DJ Rob da Bank said: "We're real perfectionists and control freaks and it really annoys us that we have had these issues.

"Once people actually got in and saw Chuck Berry or The Flaming Lips and felt the atmosphere then hopefully that balanced off any frustration at getting in. Our production team have already been working on improving things."

He added: "We would like to do it next year. We need to discuss it with the Lulworth Estate. If they will have us back we would love to do it again."

The sister show to Bestival on the Isle of Wight, Hants was aimed at "yummy mummies" and "freaky daddies" with around 3,500 children attending, he said. A children's field was designed to keep all ages busy with an insect circus, sports day, crafts tents and story telling.

For the grown-ups, the line-up included The Cuban Brothers, Florence and The Machine, festival stalwart Billy Bragg, up and coming band Black Kids, Suzanne Vega, plus much heralded newcomers Joe Lean and The Jing Jang Jong.

The inaugural three-day event, set amidst the World Heritage Jurassic coastline, was inspired by the British 1950s holiday camp experience complete with the Bestival Bluecoats headed up by Miguel from The Cuban Brothers.

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