Organisers of Calne’s annual country music festival are expecting around 2,500 music fans to turn up for line dancing and live tunes this weekend.

The festival, run by music fans Dave and Sandi King, is held in a field just off Oxford Road. It begins tomorrow and finishes on Sunday.

Friday is for campers only and will include a country disco.

There will be live music from 11am to 10pm on Saturday and from 11am to 9.30pm on Sunday, as well as Western stalls and a fast draw contest.

Several bands will play at the festival for the first time, from Ian Highland and Twilight Country to The Diablos and Wishful Thinkin’.

Mrs King said: “We’ve got a couple of new bands so it will be interesting to hear what they sound like in the open air. We try to get a couple of new ones each year.

“We were going to go for The Wurzels but they were over £1,000 each and we thought if we don’t get enough people through the gate we can’t pay them.

“At the end of the day it’s about giving money away to charity, which makes it all worthwhile. It’s hard work but it’s rewarded when you give the cheque away.”

This year money will go towards the Calne Community Transport group, which runs two buses to provide transport for the elderly and disabled.

Day tickets are £13 for adults and £2.50 for children aged 11 to 15. Weekend tickets are £30 for adults and £7 for children aged 11 to 15. Younger children can enter for free. For information, see www.calnecountrymusic.com.