FANS from throughout East Lancashire and further afield were wowed by a weekend of top quality performances at the 14th Burnley National Blues Festival.

The event, which started at the Mechanics in Manchester Road on Friday, finished with a flurry at the end of a Bank Holiday musical bonanza last night.

Larry McCray, the American with legs like tree trunks, headlined the Easter Saturday session and did not appear until after 11pm. But so what, nobody had to get up for work the next day.

According to the programme Larry's performances have been described as 'savage blues artistry with pounding rhythms'.

His blues were raw and gutsy and when he teamed up with Todd Sharpville -- who had already thrilled the audience earlier with his performance -- the boys made sweet music.

Larry's beefy hands made his guitar look like a toy and it was amazing how nimbly those enormous fingers teased the strings.

Todd Sharpville had already got the crowd into the mood with his excellent set accompanied with his band who, despite their youth, played like veterans.

The night started with Scottish Tam White. The grey pony-tailed acoustic guitarist has obviously spent a long time in smoky bars, judging by his gravel voice.

Then again it could have been all the cigarettes he lit up and never smoked, instead standing them up in the neck of his guitar!

A classic performance, made all the better by the fantastic Fraser Spiers on harmonica.

On the third day of the Festival, Byther Smith brought a packed Burnley Mechanics to its feet with a storming set of Chicago blues.

From start to finish this was Byther Smith's show. His band "The Sunset Travellers" drove the music on while Byther took charge and gave the crowd a lesson in the art of "The Blues"

This was a master at work, running out a host of classics from Albert Kings "After the Thrill Has Gone" to "Oh Baby".

The show finally came to an end with "Got My Mojo Working," an ecstatic audience kept stamping and shouting for more but unfortunately time had just run out and another great day was over.

Sunday evening started with the American country blues man Ben Andrews who set the tone for a great night with an exceptional demonstration of slide guitar and delta blues.

Little George Sueref was next up with his authentic early 1950s R&B, he took the audience up another level and injected some pace into the evening.

Little George's dynamic vocals and wailing harmonica make him one of Europe's premier classic blues performers and it showed, right up to the last note

The day had started in the Mechanics with an excellent afternoon show featuring Sugarland Slim, Mo Indigo and Texan Bill Thomas.

The festival continued yesterday with 89-year-old legend Pinetop Perkins headlining.