An estimated 25,000 people a day turned out to enjoy more than 100 bands perform at Ireland's annual Witness festival at Punchestown racecourse. Alongside an impressive line up featuring Coldplay, Supergrass, Beth Orton, the Thrills, the Sugababes, Cardigans, David Gray and the Manic Street Preachers, the Flaming Lips performed a surprise set.
Wayne Coyne and is band were filling in for the absent White Stripes who had to pull out of the festival at the last minute when Jack White was injured in a car crash in his native Detroit last week and broke his finger. Confirming the Stripes were cancelling this weekend's festival dates a spokesman from V2 – who represent the band in the US – told reporters it was not yet known whether the duo will start their 26-date American tour on 19 Jul as planned.
Meanwhile back at Witnness, organisers have said that this year's event was the biggest in its four-year history, while police reported the festival passed peacefully, with only a small number of drug related arrests.