John OwensNow five years old, Latitude went into the weekend having made the progression from its origins as a cosy 12,000-person festival into a considerably bigger beast.John Owens

Now five years old, Latitude went into the weekend having made the progression from its origins as a cosy 12,000-person festival into a considerably bigger beast.

With 700 artists performing this year and everything from world-straddling headliners through to intimate instalments of contemporary art, its diversity and draw have grown.

There was a real feast of talent on offer.

Many flocked to The Obelisk, whether to enjoy the lush, laid back performance from Corinne Bailey Rae, the borderline carnage of Crystal Castles or an inspiring set from Belle and Sebastian.

A sun-kissed Sunday also saw Tom Jones back for an encore after his packed midnight set on Thursday, though no cries of Delilah were heard as he stuck to his new material.

Other big names included Vampire Weekend, while The XX packed out The Word arena with a short but atmospheric performance.

But the Latitude site is a place to be explored.

Bindi Cartwright, who had travelled from Sussex with her five-year-old Grace, said: 'I've always loved Glastonbury but this could replace it, to be honest. Though I normally follow the music at festivals I think we're going to check out the ballet.'

For the more bookish, Bret Easton Ellis was one of the highlights of the literary tent, while celeb spotters might have caught sight of Colin Murray and T4 presenter Rick Edwards.

And at night, the lake, a scene of serenity came alive with huge water based projections, while The Faraway Forest offered nocturnal nooks and crannies to be explored.

For festival virgin Ben Rayner, 17, it was an experience to savour: 'It's an absolutely unreal atmosphere here, I would definitely come back.'