TRADERS are calling for Dorchester's arts festival to be made an annual event after it broke all attendance records and provided a major boost to the county town's economy.

Organisers today hailed the fourth Dorchester Festival as the best ever after thousands of art lovers and theatregoers enjoyed a packed weekend of entertainment.

Brilliant sunshine and big name stars boosted the festival and brought people from across the country flooding into town for a cultural feast.

And the visitors stayed to see the enormous range of performers at venues all around the town, eating in the local restaurants, staying at the town's hotels and using the town centre shops.

Chamber of commerce member Martin Ansell, who owns the Music Box, said: "I think it should be made an annual event - it's been absolutely brilliant.

"There has been a real buzz around the town which can't be anything but good for trade."

Festival director Sharon Hayden said: "If people come up with the money we will hold a festival every year.

"We only have two full-time staff and we've had to employ 20 people for seven days, plus all the money for the performers - it has cost about £50,000.

"We spend a year fundraising and we have been lucky enough to get a lottery grant this year and that's what has made it so good, but if we are to sustain an annual event people need to find the money."

Hundreds of performers descended on Dorchester to play sell-out concerts and stage free events in the Borough Gardens and shoppers were kept entertained by dancers and singers in the town centre.

Top comedian Jenny Eclair had her audience roaring with laughter in the Thomas Hardy Hall and Germaine Greer held people spellbound at the Corn Exchange. Liverpudlian poet Roger McGough made up the hat-trick of famous faces drawing in the crowds.

Festival co-ordinator Jennie Runeckles said: "It was amazing - on Sunday we had about a thousand people just in the Borough Gardens. The sun shone, the bands were fantastic and all ages were enjoying themselves.

"There has been such a genuine atmosphere of fun in the town all weekend. It has been all we could have hoped for."

Festival-goer Alex Gannon, of Monmouth Road, went to see all the shows she could over the five days.

She said: "It's been so impressive, what with Germaine Greer giving us such a thought provoking evening, Jenny Eclair being so wonderfully ribald and Roger McGough was super. There has been a huge range of entertainment.

"The Black Voices singing group said they had the warmest and kindest welcome here."

There was something for everyone during the five-day events.

Specialist performers, such as internationally renowned harpist Ruth Wall and lute player David Parsons proved popular and local artists sold many of their pieces after hundreds of people came to see their exhibitions.

Jennie Runeckles added: "People have been saying what a good time they've had - it really has been the best festival yet."