Teddy Rocks: Festival in boy's memory aims for fundraising record

A festival in memory of a 10-year-old boy who died from a rare bone cancer is expecting to raise a record amount for cancer charities.

Teddy Rocks was set up in Blandford Forum, Dorset, in 2011 by Tom Newton after his brother Ted died from Ewings Sarcoma.

The three-day not-for-profit festival at Charisworth Farm opened on Friday.

Organisers said they would surpass their previous fundraising record after reducing the number of star performers.

The festival said it had opted to book tribute acts instead of some bigger names this year in order to save money.

Mr Newton said the move would reduce costs by thousands of pounds and allow more money to go to good causes.

The festival also reduced its prices for 2024, dropping a three-day ticket from £118 to £90.

It said it expected to attract 5,000 festival-goers, topping last year's total of about 4,500, and hoped to raise a six-figure sum for four cancer charities.

Pop acts Liberty X, Atomic Kitten and DJ Sammy were headline performers at the event on Friday.

Run completely by volunteers, the festival started in 2011 as a gig in a pub raising £400.

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