THE organiser of last month's rock festival on Malvern Link Common has just handed over more than £3,000 to Acorns Children's Hospice.

About 2,500 people of all ages enjoyed the Midsummer Mappfest on Saturday, June 21, when 16 of the finest rock bands from around the county played beneath a blazing sun.

The event was the brainchild of Andy Mapp, of Bank Street, who has been supporting Acorns with music events for years.

He started with small parties at his home but last year the scale of the fundraisers escalated when he held two festivals in the Re-Con club in the town centre.

And this summer's event was a successful attempt to recreate the popular rock festivals of the late 1970a and early 1980s held on the common.

Now Mr Mapp has handed over a cheque for £3,265 to the hospice.

He said: "I want to thanks everyone who contributed to the vent and gave their services for free.

"One of the bands that played on the day donated not only their performance, but £200 of their own money to the total! This just shows how much of a community event it turned out to be."

During the event, the crowd sang Happy Birthday to Mr Mapp, as the festival occurred on his 59th birthday.

And he has already secured permission from Malvern Hills Conservators to stage a two-day festival in June next year.

He said: "I envisage that the Sunday will be a more relaxed day, with folk and blues, country dancing and so on. It's my 60th birthday and the 10th anniversary of the hospice's Worcester branch, so we really want to make it an event to remember."

Online details can be found at mappfest.com.