ISAAC HAYES - HAYES ROCKS SOGGY WOMAD

Isaac Hayes wowed the crowd at this year's rain-blighted Womad festival in Wiltshire last night.

The singer performed Soul Man and the theme from Shaft in his set to make festival-goers forget the torrential downpours and damp conditions underfoot yesterday evening.

This year's Womad festival, which began on Friday and ends today, is taking place in Charlton Park near Malmesbury in Wiltshire, away from the usual Reading venue.

It has suffered badly from the recent bad weather central and western England has encountered, with muddy and sticky conditions encouraging some to make comparisons to those seen at this year's Glastonbury.

Today the festival's website admitted that "a night of heavy rain has caused a deterioration again in the mud on site" but added optimistically that "the dry weather today and tomorrow will improve conditions."

Womad, brainchild of former Genesis star Peter Gabriel, has been held in 27 different countries in its 27-year-history.

Other acts performing at the world music festival have included Asian Dub Foundation, The Silk String Quartet and Mr Gabriel himself.