MUSIC and speeches brought the home of the trade union movement to life once again at the annual Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival.

Hundreds of people gathered with banners and drums yesterday to march through the village and remember the six Dorset farm labourers who formed the first trade union 173 years ago.

Former Labour MP Tony Benn stirred the crowd to laughter and applause with a speech described by organisers as inspirational.

Mr Benn said: "I'm absolutely inspired by Tolpuddle, because there's warmth and friendship and people come from all different trade unions as human beings without regards to religion or race or colour." He added: "I find it very exciting, it's like plugging my battery into a Tolpuddle power station and I love all the people here and the organisers are brilliant."

The annual event proved once again that the spirit of trade unionism is still going strong.

One group included 20 prison officers who had marched from Dorchester Prison to the festival in a campaign to have full trade union rights returned to them.

General secretary of the Prison Officers' Union, Brian Caton said: "We took the route that the Tolpuddle Martyrs walked only in reverse to put forward our view that prison officers should have the same rights that are enjoyed by other public sector workers."

The festival encompassed environmental debate, music from the Bob Marley-inspired Lion Train, Chumbawamba and many others, poetry, stalls, workshops and speeches from TUC president Alison Shepherd, TGWU general secretary Tony Woodley and Brendan Barber, and the event ended with folk singer Billy Bragg.

Regional secretary of the South West TUC, Nigel Costley said: "The highlight is the diversity. You've got speeches one minute and then you're into some wonderful music, some amazing entertainment all for free.

"It's an astonishing show that we put on."