PUNK fans aged 14 to 80 paid tribute to Clash frontman Joe Strummer at a two-day festival.

Nearly 1,000 attended Strummercamp, at Manchester Rugby Club, last weekend, to remember their hero who died in 2002. Festival organisers are hoping to make it an annual event.

Promoter Simon Eason-Brookes said: ''It was a dream come true for me and all the other punk fans who were there. I am just a 47 year-old be-spectacled balding bloke who wanted to give Joe the recognition he deserved.''

Headlining on the main stage on Saturday was ska act The Beat, while The Specials led the line up on Sunday. A smaller stage was quickly constructed for acoustic acts after a plan to have a ''Strummer School'' fell by the wayside.

Me Eason-Brookes said: ''It was a shame we couldn't get the guitar teaches in to give master classes to some of the yonger fans, but at the last minute we were able to get Potting Shed Dream, a band from Lancaster, and The Kings Of Delmar from Padiham to play a few acoustic tracks.''

Fans were also treated to an exclusive preview of Let's Rock Again, a documentary about Strummer's last North American tour, which was released on DVD this week.

Mr Eason-Brookes and fellor promoters The Three Amigos were thrilled at the contribution made by the Cheadle-Hulme-based rugby club.