The founders of Kendal Calling have labelled the 2016 festival as “the best one yet” - going up another gear after last summer's anniversary spectacular.

Cumbria's premier music event went all out to mark its 10th year in 2015, and with the help of some near-perfect weather, more than matched it this year.

Some of the biggest bands in its history appeared at the sun-kissed Lowther Deer Park between Thursday and Sunday, with around 25,000 people coming back down to reality after what was undoubtedly one of the highlights in the festival calendar this summer.

Co-founder of Kendal Calling, Andy Smith, said: “It's definitely been the best one yet. What a wonderful weekend we've had – I'm not just saying it, but the organisation has been brilliant, the weather has been perfect and everything's gone to plan, so definitely 10 out of 10.”

The festival got under way on Thursday afternoon with teenage star-in-the-making Declan McKenna opening the Main Stage, with former Kendal Calling headliners Ash, and headliners The Charlatans also appearing on the opening day.

Early heavy rain cleared shortly before the gates were opened, and barely made an appearance over the remaining three days.

Londoners Rudimental, and one of the UK's best-known indie bands, Catfish and the Bottlemen, were the big draws on the Friday line-up, which also featured reformed Brit band Milburn, and US outfit We Are Scientists.

Young Stockport indie outfit Blossoms caused a stir with their arrival on site in the mid-afternoon – this time next month they will be household names, with their first album due out this Friday and expected to chart highly. The five-piece managed an acoustic performance, a DJ set and their scheduled appearance headlining the festival's second stage during their brief stay in Cumbria, a year after making their debut.

Frontman Tom Ogden said: "It's mad how far we've come in 12 months - it's fizzing, and it's ready to pop.

"It seems like a great festival, and we'd love to go one better next year.”

Catfish and the Bottlemen are another act at the forefront of British indie music, with a number one album under their belts. With their widespread appeal, they drew what could have been the largest crowd of the whole festival.

Rudimental brought their instantly recognisable dance anthems to round out the Saturday in front of another sizeable audience.

Saturday saw the festival parade, this year bringing a carnival theme to proceedings, and ska legends Madness followed suit with a late night party as they topped the day's bill.

Cumbrian indie rock act The Chadelics opened main stage proceedings, in front of a familiar and impressive audience. Clearly delighted by how it went, bassist Joe Simons said: "We were worried our mates might sleep in and miss it, but they were all there. Hopefully it's not the last time we do it."

The band can now boast that they have shared the stage with The Darkness and The Hives – the renowned rock acts were responsible for two of the best exhibitions of showmanship on display over the four days.

Vocalist-turned-DJ Craig David, folk troubadour Donovan, and ex-Libertines man Pete Doherty also starred in the strong Saturday offering, before veterans and festival favourites Madness reeled off hit after hit in the headline slot.

There was one name that stood out on the Sunday line-up - sometimes an unfavourable gig with many heading home exhausted by then in previous years – few could dismiss the chance to see Oasis icon Noel Gallagher perform in the Lake District for the first time.

Before his arrival, the likes of regular visitors the Dub Pistols, American hip-hop legends the Sugarhill Gang, highly-rated rock trio Band of Skulls, 90s stars the Lightning Seeds, and another act with Cumbrian connections, Everything Everything – whose frontman Jon Higgs hails from Gilsland, on the Northumberland border – made a triumphant return on the massive main stage. One man, however, dominated proceedings: Noel Gallagher was performing with his own band, the High Flying Birds, but it was the instantly recognisable and always acerbic Britpop superstar who was the centre of attention. Fitting that the final act of the biggest Kendal Calling to date was the most distinguished guest in its history.