A MUSIC festival is set to return next year after thousands of drum-and-bass lovers danced and sang their hearts out at Docklands Festival last month.

Popular music artists such as Wilkinson, Sub Focus, Pete Tong, Patrick Topping and Southampton's very own Ronnie Spiteri and Alan Fitzpatrick performed major platinum-selling hits, filling the entirety of Hoglands Park with incredible euphoric tunes.

The festival, which brought in 10,000 revellers, will be setting up their tents again at the same field next year in time for the May bank holiday with a new festival name - The Dock.

It will include a 7000-capacity main stage complete with production, screens, staging, lasers, CO2, dancers, confetti, and an acoustic sound system.

Alongside this tent will be 3,000 capacity tent The Warehouse with minimal lighting and a consistent techno beat for all lovers of the '80s music genre.

Not just music tents but also fun fair rides, food stalls, and an after party at Switch are all set to be part of the festival fun, reflecting a similar ground plan to their most recent Docklands Festival.

Alan Fitzpatrick, who was born and raised in the city, enjoyed showcasing his talent in front of a Southampton crowd during the September event.

He said: "There’s nothing like performing for your home crowd, I love it. I’m Southampton born and bred and a huge Saints fan so getting to perform in front of my home crowd is a real buzz. It’s also rare that I get to have a dance with all my friends and family, so I definitely don’t take the moments for granted.

"I think it’s inspiring for everyone. It’s such a positive thing for the city and the nightlife culture. It’s just great for people to have these events to look forward to and enjoy.

And after a successful run, the festival organisers have said the line-up for 2020 is set to be "huge".

Founder of Docklands and Switch Southampton Ryan Keary said: "The festival was fantastic and went as smooth as it could have. Obviously, things are made a lot more challenging in the rain and this meant it was, operationally, a lot harder to run.

"Despite this, the turn-out and overall vibe of the festival was great. It's the start of a new beginning for us and we can't wait to continue this journey.

"Patrick Topping was fantastic, he totally deserves to be the headline act at festivals today and we were very happy to have him. Alan Fitzpatrick, obviously being a hometown boy, was amazing. It was great to see him play alongside friends and family in a park where he usually walks his dog. Elsewhere the drum and bass tent was full from 3pm and remained that way until the end."

He added: "We have a lot to look forward to. Going back to the other week, the weather was very difficult and we've allocated a lot of time to ensure the grounds are repaired and put back to normal, we're liaising with police and the local council to make sure this happens.

"Moving forward, we are looking at next years' May Bank Holiday to return with a huge drum and bass and house lineup. All in all it's been a great experience and provided a platform we can build on."

The Dock takes place on Friday May 8 from 1pm to 11pm.