Tickets are now on sale for this year’s Clairefest – a day long rock fest that will take over Stevenage Arts and Leisure Centre on September 1.

Set up by Darrell Stanley in memory of his wife Claire - the former landlady of The Three Tuns pub in Ashwell who died in 2010 of cancer - the first festival took place in the village last year to raise money to combat the disease.

Now in its second year, Darrell moved the festival in a bid to attract a bigger crowd and escape the fickle summer weather, while raising even more money for the Claire Stanley Trust, which has already helped to pay for life-saving equipment at Lister and other hospitals.

Darrell, 46, said Claire was a huge music fan, and that was a motivation to put on the festival.

“We had a band years ago and we did local gigs. I have a studio and help to record smaller bands and help them. She used to help people, get them jobs and then follow it up. It’s a good thing to do in her memory.”

After the success of the last Clairefest, Darrell has booked the marvellous AC/DC act Livewire to headline this year, as well as the rocking Black Dog, Maxwell Hammer And Smith, Kill Bill, The Outliars, Fingerprint, Emily Millett, Radar, Kai Addams and Raya, and more to be confirmed.

Black Dog lead singer Podge, said the festival last year was an amazing experience, with a hugely friendly atmosphere and fantastic musicianship. And with the full professional set up by the guys that do Rhythms Of The World again this year it looks set to be a stormer.

Tickets for the 16-plus event are �18.50 from www.clairefest.org – with all profits going to help tackle cancer.