But what the bombastic hugeness of main stage headliners Muse did do was further spotlight the comparably rustic magic of Sheffield's celebrated musical son. It could also be said Mr Hawley provided wholesome and welcome respite to the collosal rock blasted out by a band fast becoming the new U2, in terms of props at least.

As Muse - also South Yorkshire connected via the singer's Sheffield-based sibling and the bassist's Rotherham birth place - shot smoke and lasers into the Staffordshire night sky from giant satellite dishes so Richard cajoled, caroused, serenaded and simply entertained like a true troubadour as the Union Stage headliner.

After a day that saw blokes wearing little more than pink angel wings, girls dressed as woodland animals and men and women wrestling in one of several mud pools around the rain-blitzed site, Richard's grey suit struck a chord of sobriety, timeless songs such as the jaunty Serious and lovely Born Under A Bad Sign striking a contrast to the style-conscious posturing of some other acts filling various stages around Weston Park on Sunday.

The Union Stage was book-ended by Sheffield acts, young guns The Dodgems becoming the Sunday openers by default as safety officers pondered the state of the grounds after relentless rain as first ons were pulled.

A sparse - in terms of the huge marquee, but actually probably equivalent of a sold out Plug - crowd greeted a band who, according to singer Phil Goodwin, aren't fussed about politics, but know how to put a good tune together. Given a fairly short time to make their mark, the lads used their slot well to win new friends and confirm the loyalty of old ones.

Same can be said of fellow citizens from the weekend, Little Man Tate and Reverend & The Makers; both did their best to take minds off another soul-crushing wet British summer.

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