The organisers of an all-day charity music marathon came agonisingly close to actually holding their event, only for the confusion of the weekend to force the event to be cancelled after a couple of hours.

The Guitarathon, a 12-hour, day-long concert featuring a variety of local singers, songwriters, acoustic bands and crooners, was all set to go ahead on Saturday afternoon at the Railway Inn, in Douglas.

Featuring 22 different acts, each playing for half an hour each, the event was due to kick off at 1pm and run until midnight, raising money for the Anthony Nolan blood cancer charity.

The event did actually get underway with a performance from organiser and singer Eugene Wilson, who played to the small initial crowd and raised a laugh and cheer with his final song, ’John Smith’.

However, shortly after Colin Brew began his set of popular rock covers, the rumours of a possible lockdown, along with the conflicting messages of the severity of the situation, began to filter through and, before long, it became clear that Eugene would not be able to go through with the day as planned.

However, with the pub remaining open in the early afternoon, the performers who turned up decided to crack on and play until the situation became a little clearer.

Nineteen-year-old singer songwriter Callum Brew played an impressive and passionate set, singing a selection of his favourite covers and two of his own songs, including his latest track ’Kicking Autism, which he released as a single last week.

Jon Lightfield sang a set of covers, including a lovely version of Pearl Jam’s ’Elderly Woman in a Corner Shop’ and I even managed to make the numbers up and chime in with a couple of songs myself.

However, the unavoidable news finally came through and, with performers, supporters and crowds understandably reluctant to venture out, the decision was made to shut the pub at 3pm and Eugene was forced to postpone the event yet again.

However, the day was not in vain, as more than £89 was raised in the short time the event ran for.

It is now hoped that the 2021 Guitarathon will now take place later this year, with Eugene hoping that he can reorganise a date in May.

More details will be made available on the Guitarathon 2021 Facebook page.