The organisers of the Hampstead Summer Festival have promised this year’s event will be bigger and better than ever.

Last year thousands descended on the village for a week-long programme of art, sport and chess events in the village, raising £14,000 for charity.

Speaking at the launch of this year’s event last Thursday (March 7) at the Everyman Cinema in Hampstead, Cllr Linda Chung set a £20,000 target for this year’s festival, which is being held from Sunday, June 30 to Saturday, July 6.

Cllr Chung said: “It’s going to be considerably bigger than last year because we are taking art to Hampstead Heath for the first time. “We’ll finish with a big party on the Saturday after a whole week of great events.”

All money raised will be split between Henderson Court centre for older people and Keats Community Library.