THOUSANDS of fans turned out last night for the first in a two-night series of open-air concerts.

Chart-toppers McFly, whose hits include It’s All About You and Five Colours in Her Hair, performed a selection of their best-known numbers at Dalby Forest, near Pickering, North Yorkshire The four-piece outfit, who covered the Michael Jackson hit Black or White in a television appearance last year, were expected to pay an on-stage tribute to the late King of Pop.

Nearly 10,000 music fans are expected to attend this weekend’s concerts.

The event concludes tonight with a performance by former The Jam frontman Paul Weller.

Tonnes of sound equipment, nearly 150 lights and miles of cabling have been installed for the shows, turning the tree-lined Adderstone Field into a 5,000-capacity rock venue.

The gigs are part of a series of 22 Forestry Commission concerts taking place nationwide, with acts including the Sugababes, Katherine Jenkins and Simply Red performing.