Motley Crue and Def Leppard review as hard rock bands headline Lytham Festival on Sunday July 02

The leafy seaside town was taken over by metalheads and rockers, old and young, donning well-worn band t-shirts to show their devotion to two of the genre’s biggest bands.

On the final night of Lytham proms, the green felt more like a mini-Download than anything Lancashire is used to.

The atmosphere took me back to my youth, attending the likes of Ozzfest and Bloodstock festivals – regardless of what bands are playing it’s a feeling of being among friends and like-minded alternative folk.

As one 20-year-old Motley Crue-fan said: “It feels like I’ve found my home”.

Opening band The Vivas seem like a poor choice for the heaviest day of the festival. Their guitar-based indie-rock is played with energy and passion, but a Harry Styles cover lands flat with this crowd who are ready to rock out.

The windy weather gets colder, and rain starts shortly after Def Leppard take the stage.

And Sheffield-born singer, Joe Elliott, is quick to raise this very British topic.

"It’s cold up here, anybody want a blanket?” he quips, also commending his guitarist for soldiering on through the chill.

From timeless ballads like ‘Bringing in the heartache’, to energizing classics like ‘Let’s Get Rocked’ and ‘Pour Some Sugar On Me’, the hits keep raining down so much that we all stop caring about the rubbish weather.

And Rick Allen – aka Thunder God, makes drumming with one arm look like the easiest thing in the world. Such a joy to watch him in action.

In true Motley Crue style, Vince Neil and the gang bring two exotic dancers to their debauched on-stage party - no chance that the boys who brought us ‘Girls Girls Girls’ would leave the fast-living strip-joint sleaze behind.

The LA boys put on a vibrant, action-packed show, with lasers and giant inflatable women.

With his flamboyant stage presence, John 5 is a good replacement for Mick Mars and helps to bring some new energy to old classics, like ‘Kickstart My Heart’.

These titans of hard rock have been around for over four decades, but still have the power to keep a crowd dancing, moshing and screaming their hearts out.