WORLD-famous rock band Scouting for Girls raised more than £5,000 for charity at a memorial gig for an Oxfordshire mum in her home village.

More than 700 people flocked to the inaugural EmFest in Long Hanborough on Friday, honouring music lover and Scouting for Girls fan Emma Gibson, who died last year at the age of 43.

The Long Hanborough mum, who died from a heart attack, regularly went to concerts and organised music events in the village.

Her close friend Nicky Busby set up the festival after Miss Gibson joked about her favourite band playing in the village shortly before her death in February 2015.

Yesterday Mrs Busby said the concert, held in the village playing fields, was "absolutely perfect".

She said: "The atmosphere was fantastic: so many people there knew Emma and it worked really well.

"The band were brilliant and they had a long chat with Emma's daughter Chloe, which was very touching, and her whole family were there too."

The 54-year-old contacted the band on the off chance they would play the gig and was stunned when they agreed.

The band stuck to their promise and played the festival out with their hit single She's So Lovely, dedicating it to the 43-year-old.

The 700-plus crowd turned on lighters and phone lights as they held back the tears in a moving finale to the festival.

Mrs Busby, who worked at Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution with Miss Gibson, said: "It was emotional and there a few tears but for the main part it was upbeat – everyone was happy.

"Emma would have been so proud of what everyone has done to make this happen.

"At the last minute we found out we needed to put wooden planks down on the stage and the whole village pretty much came out to help - it was wonderful to see."

The festival raised nearly £6,000 for the British Heart Foundation in memory of Emma which will fund research into treatments for heart and circulatory conditions.

The charity's Oxfordshire fundraising manager, Sarah Harding, said: "EmFest was an incredible event, which was only possible thanks to Nicky and other volunteers who helped make it such a success.

"We would like to say a big 'thank you' to them for raising a phenomenal amount of money for the BHF's lifesaving research.

"We never cease to be amazed by the extraordinary ways people like Nicky fundraise for the BHF."

The charity urged others to organise their own unique events to raise funds by going to bhf.org.uk/yourway