TEN years on and Little Totham Music Festival is more popular than ever.

The event, which runs from this weekend until September 12, will feature professional musicians as well as amateur performances.

The festival began when the parish church decided to mark the millennium with a musical feast.

This year’s programme kicks off on Saturday, at 7.30pm, with the Downhome Jazz Band, a six-piece who will provide music and laughs.

The All Saints Festival Evensong will be held at 6.30pm on Sunday, which will feature the combined choirs from St Peter’s Church, Goldhanger, and St Nicholas’s Church, Witham.

On Monday, Sue Handscombe and Terry Saunders present the Light Programme at All Saints Church, from 7.30pm, a trip down memory lane taking in popular music of the 20th century, while audiences at Great Totham village hall, at 2.15pm, on Wednesday, September 9, will be treated to big band music from the 30-strong Abbeygate Concert Band.

Drummers, singers, brass and woodwind will make up a performance from Pam’s People, members of the Plume Adult Music School, from 7.30pm. On Thursday, September 10, at All Saints Church, and on Friday September 11, it will be the turn of jazz and folk, with Andy Brush on the sax and electronics, Phil Leader on keyboard, Mark Simpson on drums and Martyn Blagden on trumpet and keyboards at 8pm.

The festival ends on Saturday, September 12, at 8pm, at All Saints Church with comedy from the Shoo Shoo Baby team and opera singer, Anna Braithwaite.

Jazz dancer, singer-songwriter and magician Tanya Holt, and actor-musician Muchael Roulston, will also be performing the Entire History of Cabaret.

For more information call Vivienne Smith on 01621 891660.