A record crowd enjoyed three days of music, arts and partying at Oxfordshire’s premier new music festival.

Organisers described the event as the “biggest, longest and most relaxed so far”.

Almost 7,000 music lovers were treated to more than 140 performances by artists from across the world at South Oxfordshire’s annual Truck music festival – making it the largest event in its 14 year history.

The festival, so named because the main stage has traditionally been built around a flat bed truck, is staged by musician brothers Robin and Joe Bennett at Hill Farm in Steventon.

The festival, which drew to a close in the early hours of this morning was given a fresher feel with a redesigned and expanded layout, a larger than ever array of stages and, for the first time, a full programme from Friday afternoon.

Highlights included headline acts by Blur guitarist Graham Coxon; punk-folk 11 piece band Bellowhead; indie rock artist Gruff Rhys, and pop dance act St Etienne, starring Oxfordshire singer Sarah Cracknell, who greeted the audience by welcoming them to “her home county”.

Also getting the thumbs up from festival goers were Oxford three piece The Young Knives, Radiohead’s Philip Selway, from North Oxford, and singer-songwriter Edwyn Collins.

Among the liveliest sets came from The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band, who opened with a jazzed up version of Valerie, famously covered by singer Amy Winehouse, who died on Saturday.

The band’s sax player John “Muggsy” West, from south Oxford, said: “We wanted to do a respectful tribute to Amy, but do it in our own way.

“Her family have been on a rollercoaster.”

The band’s Saturday night set was rounded off with a stage invasion by fans.

He added: “It has been very good. It’s bigger and has outgrown its ‘in crowd’ get together feel, but it has to do that to survive, otherwise it dies. Truck is moving into the next phase.”

Robin Bennett said: “This was the first time we have had all our stages up and running over three days and it has gone amazingly well.

“We completely redesigned the festival site this year, and the event has had a much more adult and professional feel.

“We had close to our 7,000 capacity and were blessed with great weather - making it the biggest, longest and most relaxed Truck ever.”

Lucy Silver, from Marston, Oxford, who has attended for 10 years, said: “I love coming to the festival, it’s a great chance to catch up on lots of good new music.”

Sunny Chahal, from Botley Road, Oxford, said: “Having music for the full weekend has been cool.

“There have been so many great bands but also lots of opportunity to just sit on the grass, enjoy the sun and take it easy.”