More than 15,000 science and music fans partied under the Lovell telescope at the first Bluedot festival at Jodrell Bank.

It was the biggest event yet at the observatory in Lower Withington which has hosted gigs in the past but not opened up for a weekend-long camping event until now.

And what was on offer was no typical festival line-up, with science lectures and activities, arts, culture and the exploration of space all thrown into the mix with the music over the weekend.

The science events included physicist Brian Cox and comedian Robin Ince recording their Radio 4 show The Infinite Monkey Cage live on stage with a panel including Jodrell Bank’s professor Tim O’Brien and singer Charlotte Church.

It was all set around the imposing Lovell radio telescope standing in the middle of the festival, next to the main stage and lit up in psychedelic colours at night in designs by musician, composer and artist Brian Eno.

Music highlights included dance act Underworld and godfather of electronic music Jean Michel Jarre with a spectacular light show culminating in him playing a laser harp.

Quirky elements of the festival included robot workshops, a planetarium, pulsar hunting, graphene making classes and the Lunimarium, a blow up maze of coloured tunnels to explore which attracted long queues of adults and kids.

Professor Tim O’Brien, associate director at Jodrell Bank Observatory, said: “Bluedot was a great success.

“We had 15,000 people visit over the weekend who very much enjoyed the mix of music, science and the arts. We received lots of great feedback from the visitors, the artists and the hundreds of scientists that took part.

“It was brilliant for us to see so many people here enjoying themselves and enjoying the science as well as the music. Great to see so many children, they are the scientists and engineers of the future.”

There was a programme of activities for families and children.

Michelin star chef Aiden Byrne served up a menu in The Restaurant at the End of the Universe which sat at the base of the telescope.

Residents of Lower Withington had been concerned about the potential impact on the village as a result of the large numbers of revellers and a 2am alcohol licence.

Lower Withington Parish Council logged the concerns with Cheshire East beforehand.

The parish clerk said the councillors would discuss the impact of the event at their next meeting.

There were some concerns over parking and transport at the site and one arrest.