THE Samphire Festival – officially awarded national Best Small Festival last year – has reached its goal and raised over £20,000 to make sure early costs are covered and it can all go ahead.

The festival, in Exmoor National Park above Porlock and overlooking the sea, has successfully raised £20,419 with 104 supporters in 42 days through Crowdfunder, and it is now full steam ahead with regular tickets on sale from last weekend.

It also received a grant of £3,000 from Arts Council England last month to help with art at the festival, in a match funding pilot scheme with Crowdfunder UK and Nesta, an innovation foundation to encourage arts-based projects.

A number of artists have now been announced, and reduced early bird and early worm tickets are sold out on the festival website.

The independent music and arts festival got off to a debut sell out last July, winning National Outdoor Events Association 2016 award for Best Small Festival.

It will be held from July 7 to 9, and this year includes three days of what organisers Flora Blathwayt and Josh Beauchamp are billing as four stages with more music, more people, more venues, more quirky workshops, day time activities and games, and a relocated, even better campsite.

For more information can be found on the Samphire Festival website.