A LEGENDARY musician and popular actor were among the performers as this year's Bewdley Festival got under way.

Clarinet player, Acker Bilk, played with The Paramount Jazz Band to a full house on Friday after the festival was officially opened by Dr Richard Taylor, MP.

It was followed by a family fun day on Saturday morning and an art lecture on the work of potter and designer, Charlotte Rhead, in the afternoon.

An Audience with Ian Lavender was also held at the Ramada Hotel and the former Dad's Army star talked about his career and answered questions.

Speaking after the show, Ian said he had enjoyed the evening, adding: "They were a great audience. I overran because I was enjoying it so much."

"When I was first asked to do this sort of thing, I went back to the family photographs and went from there. I enjoy talking to the audience and getting a response from them - that's what I do it for, really."

One of the audience members, Pam Wilson, 59, who lives in Wribbenhall, had a surprise when she realised she had been in the same year as Ian, at Turves Green school in Birmingham, when she was five years old.

She said: "It is my claim to fame - I was at the same school as Ian Lavender. I went there for a short while, which is why I didn't remember him. He didn't remember me either. He mentioned the headmistress and some of the teachers and I realised then.

"It was a great evening and we caught up at the bar afterwards."

Other events during the weekend included a performance by pianist, Mark Bebbington and an opera singer, Castradiva.

On Monday, Trio Literati presented a specially commissioned drama piece about Bewdley's past and The Reduced Shakespeare Company presented Completely Hollywood on Tuesday.

Yesterday, Terry Waite was due to talk to visitors about his five years of being held by Islamic Fundamentalists.

Festival committee member, Carole Swingler, said she was delighted with the way the festival was going adding: "Everything has gone according to plan and the audiences have been great. It does feel like a festival rather than single events at the theatre. There is a really nice atmosphere."