Truck Festival has 'emotional' return after three-year Covid break

A music festival is back after having to take three years off because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Truck Festival's 25th anniversary event is under way in Steventon, Oxfordshire, with 25,000 revellers expected.

Sam Fender, Kasabian, Bombay Bicycle Club, The Kooks, Sigrid, Kelis, and Eurovision hero Sam Ryder will all perform at the comeback event.

The festival organisers described returning to Hill Farm after the hiatus as "truly emotional".

On Thursday night Blossoms headlined, playing to a crowd of early entry ticket holders.

In a statement Truck Festival said: "It was truly emotional yesterday to welcome so many festival-goers back for a Truck Festival three years in the making.

"Being together once again after so long has been brilliant to see, not only with the crowds gathered but also the whole team who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make Truck happen - some of those we haven't seen in a number of years.

"To finally be here and to see such a response is more than we can ever ask for, with Blossoms returning to headline the evening the perfect way to round out a special first day.

"Yesterday's opening is just the beginning, with huge headliners, festival fun, Barrioke [a pub quiz hosted by Shaun Williamson, aka Barry from EastEnders] and much more to come - we're looking forward to our biggest Truck Festival to date over the weekend."

The event, which was was cancelled for two consecutive years, will also include Easy Life, Sea Girls, Pulled Apart By Horses, The Subways, Jade Bird, The Big Moon, Sports Team, and a BBC Introducing stage.

The first Truck Festival was conceived by brothers Robin and Joe Bennett.

It took place in 1998, when an actual truck was used for the stage.

Follow BBC South on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].