MUSIC legend Eddi Reader kicked off the Gosport and Fareham Easter Folk Festival in style, heralding the start of the four-day musical extravaganza.

Performing music from her latest album, Ms Reader, main picture, wowed the crowds at Fareham's Ferneham Hall, which will be the focal point of the popular festival over the Easter weekend.

Organiser Peter Chegwyn said the performance was the ideal start to this year's event.

"It was just the way to kick off the festival with a great performance by Eddi Reader. She was very, very good and set the tone for the rest of the weekend," he said.

Box office sales for the popular festival broke previous records with 10,000 people expected to watch performances by some of the top names on the folk festival circuit.

The opportunity of a lifetime came knocking for two Hampshire musicians when they were given the chance to perform with one of the legends of the folk music scene.

Richard Hunt (inset) and Helen Andrews took to the stage in front of hundreds of fans to perform with Ian Anderson at the festival.

The pair had been handpicked by Mr Anderson after he heard some of their material.

Helen, from Portchester, and Richard, from Southampton, won a competition launched for local musicians to appear with Mr Anderson on stage.