ORGANISERS of a popular festival asserted their commitment to new music as they announced a bigger and better Battle of the Bands.

Witney Music Festival, which each year sees thousands descend on Witney’s town centre, will return with an extended main event and a BBC Music Introducing stage.

The Battle of the Bands competition is also set to make a return in a new and improved form – giving its winner the chance to play at three music festivals.

Chairman of the festival, Eric Marshall, said: “We’ve teamed up with The Wychwood Festival, Tadstock 2018 and BBC Introducing to bring this year’s Battle of the Bands back for the third year in row at the legendary Rocket in Witney – our local music venue and loyal sponsors.

“The winning band will play all three festivals, so that’s the Witney Music Festival, The Wychwood Festival and Tadstock 2018.

“Organisers from all three festivals will form part of the judging team for the final – along with members of the BBC Introducing team who will also be looking for bands to appear on their stage which will be making its debut at this year’s event.

“I think it’s set to be a huge event having two other great festivals involved as well as the BBC.”

Places are limited so bands are urged to show their interest as early as possible by applying at witneymusicfestival.co.uk.

Successful applicants will receive a place in one of the four heats – which are on April 26, May 3, May 10 and May 17.

The final will be on May 24.

The traditional two-week festival in venues around the town will run from May 25 to June 9, which will culminate with a finale event in the town’s Corn Exchange, in Market Square.

But in a big change to this year’s festival the main open-air event on The Leys will take place in August, to avoid clashing with repairs to the space planned by the town council, which owns the land.

The main event, starting on Friday, August 17, will run over two days, in response to its soaring success over recent years.

Earlier this year organisers announced the inclusion of a BBC Music Introducing stage on the Saturday, which will showcase the best unsigned acts in the area.

Mr Marshall continued: “After the huge success of the 2017 Festival we are looking forward to many exciting changes for our 2018 festival.”