MUSICIANS danced in the rain on Lyme Regis beach as funding was raised for charity.

The annual Guitars On The Beach event took place on Saturday and Sunday, attempting to break its own record for the UK's biggest band, playing Buddy Holly's Rave On and That’ll Be The Day. But persistent rain meant less than 100 people took part in this year's record bid.

Organiser Geoff Baker said: "It rained for four hours solid and at the worst of times.

"Clearly that put off hundreds, thousands, from attending and in the end I reckon there were only about 70 to 80, certainly less than 100, on the beach when we did Rave On."

Mr Baker paid tribute to the soggy guitarists and performers who braved "god-awful" conditions on Saturday afternoon.

He added: "That drenched and bedraggled bunch were superb, they played on and in doing so they kept the spirit on Guitars On The Beach going.

"I salute and thank them all. It wasn't Rave On, in those horrendous conditions it was Brave On. And that, coupled with the gutsy and great performances of all the bands who defiantly kept playing in the most god-awful of conditions, made all of us organisers feel very proud. "Special mention must go to Brian Street, who organised all of the bands and who ran around geeing-up everyone on the day, making them upbeat and closing the show with a superb set from his band Delta Tango 7 that had dozens dancing on the beach."

This year, Guitars On The Beach was held in conjunction with Mark Hix's Food Rocks festival - which featured live demonstrations, as well as stalls selling local produce.

Mr Hix stepped in to help after Guitars On The Beach failed to secure funding from Lyme Regis Town Council , putting this year's event in doubt.

Prizes were also handed out at the event, with funding to be donated to Cancer Research UK.

A guitar donated by Deep Purple's Ian Gillan's was won by Dorothy and Mick Pinder.

Tom Orchard from Lyme Regis won a vintage Stratocaster guitar, while Elsa Gerner from Colyford claimed the Watson acoustic guitar. A guitar signed by Sir Paul McCartney and featuring a design by Tracey Emin was also raffled off at the event.