IT’s not often you get to time travel in Gloucestershire, but last Friday thousands of music fans at a concert at Westonbirt Arboretum got to do just that – and it was glorious.

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As the sun went down on the forest setting the crowd settled in for a fantastic night of entertainment

The line-up for the concert was legendary, a real treat for anyone who appreciates a bit of banter with the audience, irreverent humour, sophisticated lyrics and political undertones as part of their evening of entertainment.

Opening the night’s proceedings was Billy Bragg, singer-songwriter, author and activist and his pared-down set didn’t fail to deliver.

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Photo of Billy Bragg taken by Hereward Corbett who said he was 'greatly moved' by his songs

Bragg ensured that the audience was left in doubt about exactly what he felt about Donald Trump as well as other issues that he roused the crowd out of complacency about.

You know you’re witnessing something pretty special when the crowd is joined by both the event stewards and police for the rousing chorus of his closing track – A New England.

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Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott captured by Alan Connor

And then Paul Heaton took to the stage with his Beautiful South partner in crime Jacqui Abbott.

For the next hour and a half Heaton held a crowd ranging from those well under the age of 10 to those whose remaining hair was silver-toned in the palm of his hand.

From House Martins’ classics like Five Get Over Excited, to new tracks from his partnership with Abbott such as DIY, each set of opening chords caused complete strangers in the audience to swap genuine looks of delight.

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Tickets for the event sold out quickly, organisers added to the capacity to meet the demand

Despite Abbott needing to take to a stool half way through the due to a bad back, the pair managed to occupy the stage with a playful swagger – never have two people looked cooler in their anoraks.

The clearly delighted audience were treated to hit after hit interlaced with stories that took us back through an astounding career spanning over three decades.

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Claire Messenger's 9 and 5 year old daughters popped on their ear defenders for their first ever concert - 'They were dancing all night,' mum said

Old Red Eyes is Back, One Last Love Song, Manchester, A Little Time, Manchester, Rotterdam, Perfect 10…

Just when you thought the pair had run out of hits they’d casually remind us all of another, and I swear as the night progressed we all got younger.

By the end of the evening I was 20 years old and head over heels with my first boyfriend all over again.

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Paul‏ (@turbocook67) posted this photo of the giant bal;lon filled finale and said it was the best gig he'd seen in a long time

Stand out tracks? Don't Marry Her, the beautifully obscene version, Song For Whoever, which it turns out I am still quite upset doesn’t include my name in the chorus, and Sail This Ship which  summoned the ghosts of every member of the audience’s first love I’m sure.

But they saved the best for last, after a searing crescendo of You Keep It All In during which the audience were encouraged to play with huge brightly coloured balloons, nearly 10,000 people joined a goose-bump inducing chorus of Caravan of Love.

A perfect trip down memory lane, I celebrated by watching several episodes of Bergerac the next day.

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Our reporter managed to stop dancing - and singing badly - just long enough to snap this photo as Paul and Jacqui left the stage on the third encore