Relentless rainstorm didn’t stop Rita

The final night of Lytham Proms ended with a splash but the relentless rain failed to dampen the enthusiasm of music fans.

Rita Ora, touted as the UK’s answer to Rhianna, ended the three day mini festival in Lytham with a bang, performing all her top hits before the adoring crowd.

As performers including Stooshe and Conor Maynard warmed up the shivering audience before Rita’s stage entrance, those who had bought VIP tickets breathed a sigh of relief as they watched and listened from undercover while enjoying a street food menu in keeping with the music catered by Thornton’s Twelve Restaurant.

But once the Mexican beef chilli, peri peri chicken, hog roast and individual jar desserts had been consumed, everyone decided to brave the torrential downpour and venture outside to watch the superstar herself in action.

Looking understatedly glamorous with her hair tied back in a ponytail of plaits and dressed in tight black leather trousers, Rita had the audience captivated as she sang hits including the party favourite How We Do, Radioactive and Uneasy, her No Doubt cover.

But it wasn’t all pulsating beats as the Kosovan born singer stripped back her emotions and spoke of her gratitude for how her life had changed before performing a Diana Ross medley of You Are Everything merging seamlessly into Ain’t No Mountain High Enough. With a likeable honesty, confidence and glowing energy, Rita inspired a true party atmosphere and managed to make people forget the weather as they danced and sang along in their rainmacs and wellies.

However, her time on stage felt short and sweet as she was on for just under an hour and after ending on the mass singalong R.I.P, the gig seemed to end abruptly with some thinking she was coming back to perform some more.

Despite the heavens opening, Lytham Proms ended on a high note on its last night and there were many music lovers who left Lytham’s green looking forward to next year’s line-up with anticipation.