THE 2021 lineup for a music festival begun in memory of a popular Barrow dad has been revealed - and is bigger and better than ever.

More than 30 acts will perform at this year’s Fudstock on Barrow Island - the most since the event’s inception in 2018.

And Jayne Moorby, one of the organisers, said this year’s festival was also set to feature its biggest ever headliners, including American DJ Todd Terry.

“We wanted Fudstock to be about community cohesion, an opportunity for people to come together,” said Mrs Moorby.

“It’s a massive opportunity for the people in Barrow to have access to some of the world-leading acts in their own town.”

Fudstock began as a tribute to Barrow Island resident and dad Richard Thorne, known as Fud, who died from bowel cancer in 2018 at the age of just 38.

It was Fud himself who had the idea of holding the festival. He put on a small event while he was alive but, says Mrs Moorby, who was a friend of Fud’s, he would have been overjoyed to see what it had become.

“I think Fud would look down and feel like we have done him proud and be absolutely buzzing that it’s all happened,” she said.

“He was just a real character, he knew everybody in Barrow, and everybody in Barrow loved him. He was famous for having wacky ideas.”

The event relied on people’s goodwill to get it off the ground in 2018. However, as its reputation and population has snowballed, it has become self-sustaining.

Fudstock supports St Mary’s Hospice, the Ulverston-based charity that cared for Fud in the final weeks of his life, and has raised tens of thousands of pounds to this end over the years.

A ‘virtual’ event was held last year amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but it is hoped this year’s festival, on August 28, can go ahead with a full attendance of around 5,000 - providing Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s scheduled relaxation of Covid restrictions goes to plan.

“We’ve been desperate to put it on, and the demand from the community has been huge as well,” said Mrs Moorby.

“The amount of messages we’ve had over the last few months, saying ‘is it happening?’ and ‘we can’t wait to get back to a live event’.

“And the same for the acts as well, it’s been a hard time for the music industry.”

The lineup for the festival was revealed on Saturday. In addition to Todd Terry, highlights include Elvana - an Elvis-fronted Nirvana tribute band - and indie band The Silver Bars.

The weekend also saw the Fudstock team launch its website.

Visit fudstock.co.uk for more information and to book tickets for the Cavendish Park event.