Music lovers in Oxfordshire are being given first chance to snap up tickets for the county's best-loved music festival.

Truck Festival, a showcase of local, national and international rock, folk, dance, country and alternative musical talent, takes place every July at Hill Farm, Steventon, near Abingdon.

Since being set up 10 years ago, the event has grown from a small village gathering to one of the UK's top festivals - pulling in fans from across the country. And as the festival has grown, competition for tickets has become fiercer.

This year, the organisers - Oxford-based Truck Records - are giving local festival-goers an opportunity to beat the rush for tickets, by distributing 1,500 tickets exclusively to record shops in Oxford and the south and west of the county.

The £55 tickets for this year's Truck, which takes place on July 21 and 22, go on sale on Tuesday - and are expected to sell out in hours. Tickets will not go on sale anywhere else.

The remaining 2,000 tickets will later be available online, with priority given to buyers who have first registered their details.

The date for online ticket sales has still not been announced, however, 'Truckers' can start registering immediately. The date for online ticket sales will be available on the festival website www.thisistruck.com Robin Bennett, lead singer of the band Goldrush, and co-founder of the Truck Festival, said organisers were committed to maintaining the easy-going ethos of the festival, by refusing to make it more commercial or increase its capacity.

He said: "Truck is a DIY festival in the countryside, and we are keeping it that way. Our dream was always to have a great annual festival with just a few thousand people and some interesting people from interesting bands. And that is going to happen.

"There will be big names.

"That ethos of creativity, community, environment, friendship and celebration is here to stay - and will get stronger."