A CHARITY concert staged for more than 20 years and held in a farm shed has grown big enough to attract a Mercury Music Prize-nominated musician to the bill.

The Cornshed is an annual charity concert organised by Judy Kitching, at Sexhow Park Farm, in Hutton Rudby, North Yorkshire, in memory of her husband Jim, who died in an accident while working on the farm in 1985.

Now in its 23rd year the concert has grown from a few bands performing on a stage borrowed from the local school, to a two night, two stage event, which this year takes place on Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4.

Most of the performers are local bands, including several from local schools and colleges, and a group of firemen, but this year the star attractions are folk musicians Martin Carthy and Norma Waterson, who was the runner-up to Pulp for the Mercury Music Prize in 1995.

They will perform on Saturday night on the Romney stage, set in a small Nissan hut from the Second World War, while the larger stage is in the Cornshed, which holds grain through the winter.

Last year’s event raised £10,000 for the North Yorkshire Air Ambulance Service, which has been adopted as the charity of the Cornshed.

Mrs Kitching, 60, said: "It’s an incredible two nights of music and entertainment for such a worthy cause and so many people get involved to make it happen.

"I don’t know if having the air ambulance might have saved Jim all those years ago but lots of our friends live in rural locations so it is something close to their hearts."

Tickets cost £19.50 and must be bought in advance by calling 01642-700695.

For more information visit www.thecornshed.org.uk