Bunkfest: Free festival returns after last minute train scare

A free music festival is taking place after a last minute scare threw this year's edition into doubt.

Bunkfest is a community festival on the banks of the River Thames in Wallingford, Oxfordshire, that takes place from Friday to Sunday filling the town with live music, dancing and other entertainment.

The event is organised by volunteers, and gets its name from the Bunk Railway line which runs between the south Oxfordshire town and nearby Cholsey.

A crash on the historic railway in August damaged equipment on a level crossing, with all trains cancelled and Bunkfest thrown into doubt. But repairs carried out by Network Rail over the bank holiday weekend resolved the problems.

The rail line is used by festival organisers to prevent as many people as possible from travelling in cars instead using the much larger Cholsey Station to get people into Wallingford.

Bunkfest chairman Michael Palfrey told the BBC there "was a little bit of doubt" over whether the event would be able to take place.

"We were given a date [for repairs] a couple of weeks ago and they [Network Rail] did manage to stick to it and get the job done," he said.

"Finally, we've managed to get it over the line."

The shuttle trains over the weekend between Cholsey and Wallingford make up Bunkfest Fringe - with entertainers onboard and also at both stations.

Tickets for the trains must be purchased, but the rest of the weekend's entertainment in Wallingford is free.

That includes on Saturday, when English rhythm and blues band Dr Feelgood will headline.

Frontman Robert Kane said he was "really looking forward" to performing at the festival on the Thames.

"We hit the stage at 100mph and keep that going for an hour and a half," he said of the band's performance style.

"There is no let up, so if anybody's up for that, get yourself down to Bunkfest."

"I've had a look at the bill and there's also a fantastic range of acts on around us," he said.