Battle of Britain Memorial Flight spitfires visiting Mappfest this weekend

Organisers of Mappfest have confirmed the sounds of the iconic Rolls Royce Merlin engines will be heard across the county on Saturday and Sunday (June 18 and 19).

The flight is passing over Mappfest at 1pm on June 18 and 2.40pm on June 19.

While they fly overhead, Mappfest will be going on down below on Malvern Link Common.

The popular festival features two days of live music and is back stronger than ever, having been abandoned in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic.

FESTIVAL: Mappfest is back for 2022

Organiser Andy Mapp, who founded the festival more than a decade ago, said this year's will be the best yet.

He said: "This our 12th year - it is going to be bigger and better than ever.

"We have 'ExSighted' - a group of partially sighted morris dancers, a flypast from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfires on both days, a motorcycle drive past, a mini market of local traders, loads of adult and children's rides and fully-licensed bars."

Mappfest features 20 live bands plus an open-mic acoustic marquee.

To take part in the open-mic, performers just need to bring an instrument down with them and get playing.

The festival is being finished off this year by rock band Leader of Down, whose first LP went to number 5 in the German charts and number 12 in America.

MUSIC: Mappfest 2021

Mappfest started as a garden party hosted by Andy Mapp in 2009 with a raffle for charity with a couple of live performers and has grown into an annual event held on Malvern Common.

The festival has won the Pride of Malvern Hills Community People's Choice Award as well as being shortlisted for the country's best festival award.

It raises thousands for Worcestershire charities including Acorns Children's Hospice, Headway, Water Rescue UK and Vale Animal Rescue.

This year's events get underway at midday on both Saturday, June 18 and Sunday, June 19 and run until around 11pm on both nights.

For more information, go to www.facebook.com/Mappfest.