TWO world-famous musical acts thrilled crowds when they took to the stage at one of south Cumbria's best-loved summer events. 

The May bank holiday meeting at Cartmel Racecourse played host to Simply Red and pianist Jools Holland, who were both enthusiastically received by the guests. 

Nearly 20,000 tickets were sold for the Simply Red race day and concert and the atmosphere at the track was electric. 

Mick Hucknall and the rest of the band took to the stage to play a two-hour set after the day's racing. 

The course enclosure where the festival-style stage had been set up was packed with families having picnics and groups of friends enjoying the musical end to the day. 

There were plenty of ginger afro wigs dotted in front of the stage as die-hard Simply Red fans showed their love for the lead singer. 

The band played a selection of their classic hit songs from over the years such as Stars , Money's Too Tight to Mention and Something Got Me Started . 

Karen Collins, a 50-year-old chief executive from Lancashire said she and her daughter Anna, 12, thoroughly enjoyed the event: "We just travelled up for the weekend and attended the event in a big group, there was about 20 of us.

 "The sun was shining when Simply Red came out on stage and it was just like being back in the 80s. We knew all of the songs and I felt like we'd taken a step back in time."

Cartmel's managing director Jonathan Garratt said: "We had two fantastic evenings of music with some very happy and relaxed race goers. Jools Holland was really superb, it was wonderful to have him play on Sunday and have a full weekend of events at Cartmel." 

People from far and wide were attracted the the racecourse for the musical events. 

The fact that Jools Holland played on the Sunday evening meant many guests decided to stay for the whole weekend and attend the race day today too. 

The Sunday evening concert was a slightly quieter affair. It started later in the day and was not quite as rowdy as Simply Red. 

However, it was a golden afternoon in south Cumbria and the perfect way to spend a 'Super Sunday' in the sun.

Victoria Chelton, 39, a mountain guide, from Chamonix in France said: "I've come over from France for the weekend for the racing and I was delighted to see that Jools Holland was playing. 

"He was fantastic - one of my favourite ever performers. Jools rules. Cumbria is so beautiful in the summer I come back here to see my family in Barrow and Cartmel has been the highlight of this visit."