IT SHOULD have been called the show with nine lives, not only for the reappearance of golden oldies rockers in a makeshift band but because the Gosport Festival survived this year despite every disaster possible.

It was billed as one of the most high profile of the town's annual music festivals, with the twin coups of the Godfather of Soul, James Brown, on his only UK date and the UK's current number one group, girl band Atomic Kitten.

Then bad luck struck three times with a freak tornado that put off about 1,500 people from seeing James Brown, the last-minute shock withdrawal of chart-toppers Atomic Kitten because of illness and finally a power cut caused by storm floods that silenced Rolf Harris.

But the Australian performer was the hero of the hour, coming to the rescue by playing a longer slot despite the sound system packing up seconds before he was due to take to the stage.

Undaunted, he played live and unplugged from off-stage in the old Brockhurst Fort. More than 1,000 people remained after midnight to listen and mobbed him

There were real fears that the show might not go on at all, but Gosport Borough Council hastily granted a licence extension to enable him to play a 90-minute set to compensate those disappointed not to see Atomic Kitten.

Dozens of disappointed youngsters were close to tears as they read posters apologising and the band's name was booed every time it was mentioned on stage.

The youngsters were offered compensation - free Atomic Kitten T-shirts and drinks and free admission to Sunday's reunion of Seventies stars from 10CC and Roger Taylor of Queen, Fish, from Marillion, Leo Sayer, Tony Hadley from Spandau Ballet in the SAS Band.

Organiser Peter Chegwyn said: "Despite everything fate could throw at us this has been a successful festival. The bigger the stars the bigger the problems, especially if they don't even turn up.

"I was disappointed at the low turnout for James Brown, but that wasn't our fault and neither was the power failure. Rolf Harris was a real hero. He didn't have to pull us out of the fire, but he did keep more than 1,000 people happy who could have gone home feeling let down by Atomic Kitten. Rolf Harris should be made a freeman of Gosport.''