THE votes have been counted and the finalists have been revealed for Purbeck Valley Folk Festival’s talent competition, Purbeck Rising.

The most popular acts have gone through to a live final at the Purbeck Valley Folk Festival (25-28 August) on the Saturday afternoon.

The remaining acts are Nicole McNally, Jack Pratchett, Jonny Phillips, Fountainhead and Mikey Ball.

However, in an exciting turn of events a further three acts have been added to the final from a special Purbeck Rising fast track event held earlier this month.

These three new acts are Dave Stoker, Matt Underdown and Delphis.

The competition has been a springboard for previous finalists, such as Bournemouth-based trio Kadia who have since released their debut album East of Alexandria last year and seen their profile grow rapidly since entering Purbeck Rising in 2013.

Kadia return to play the Purbeck Valley Folk Festival on the Friday.

Organiser Catherine Burke says: “Kelly Oliver was a 2014 Purbeck Rising finalist, who has been touring nationally and returns to Purbeck this year to play one of our main stages. The standard of finalists was so high last year that we’ve asked a lot of them back to play sets at the festival this year.”

The contest will be decided by public vote and a panel of experts with the winning act invited back to play a main stage set next year, as well as a spot at the Folk on the Quay festival in Poole in June 2017 and a day’s recording at Sizzle Studio in Bournemouth.

Tickets are on sale now at £120 (youth £60, child £30) and day tickets from £50. Visit purbeckvalleyfolkfestival.co.uk