THE BexFactor competition added a whole new dimension to this year’s Danson Festival.

Family, friends and schoolmates of the 20 finalists swelled the number of festival goers over the weekend, to more than 55,000.

Saskia Delman, arts manager for Bexley Council which runs the annual free festival in Danson Park, Welling, described this year’s event as “absolutely cracking”.

Huge audiences packed the main stage where talented young musicians who made it through to the final of the Bex Factor talent competition performed on their own and with professional musicians.

Bands also performing included Alaap, The Dhol Foundation, Mama’s Gun, Phantom Limb, Initium and the Allstars with Jocelyn Brown.

There were more local acts on the youth stage, community stage and dance stage.

Solid crowds on both days packed attractions such as arts village which featured interactive events, the Smallest Cinema in the World and Colourscape.

The lake was busy with people trying out free sailing and kayaking lessons and there was a chance to try out scuba diving with Bexley Sub-Aqua Club and taster sessions in mini tennis, martial arts, fencing and gymnastics.

There were large crowds for the arena attractions which included falconry displays, a dog show and a tug-of-war and the many other festival event Miss Delman said: “BexFactor helped develop a sense of pride and ownership in this year’s festival.”

The BexFactor competition was funded this year by the Arts Council England, who were there to see how the project had developed and were impressed with the results.

Miss Delman said Paul Pacifico from the Allstars had already expressed his keenness to get involved with the next project.

She added: "When Jocelyn Brown was getting into her car she asked 'can we do it again?'

"I think BexFactor has almost become the signifier for the way we want the Danson Festival to go in the future."