The New Statesman today reveals that the legendary gala dinner, held on the Saturday night of the three-day Festival of Speed, included a special performance from Nick Mason and a couple of friends!

The dinner, an invitation-only affair for some 1200 people, is held at the Earl of March's Goodwood estate in the heart of Sussex on the south coast of England, and each year has interesting musicians providing the entertainment. Rumours spread quickly amongst the lucky attendees that Pink Floyd were getting back together for the occasion, but this was not to be...

Those joining Nick turned out to be Queen's Roger Taylor and The Who's Kenney Jones, providing a thrilling percussive start to proceedings.

The New Stateman said that the "result was a truly bizarre sight. The 1,200 invited guests are generally at the "venerable" end of the spectrum - racing drivers of a certain age such as Sir Stirling Moss, aristocratic motoring enthusiasts and, of course, their elegant, silver-haired wives. It was dark, so it was difficult to gauge their reaction when Mason's dancing girls tore off their leathers to reveal a red bra-and-hot-pants combo, nor could I tell whether they appreciated the pole dancing. What with the accompanying fireworks and jets of flame, I did worry that there were some pacemakers working very hard."

Calming things a little once Nick, Roger and Kenney had finished, was Scottish singer K T Tunstall, dressed a little more soberly than "Nick's dancing girls"!

Nick was in attendance at the festival the whole weekend, with him and his daughter Holly driving three wonderful cars up the hillclimb each day. More details and pictures of the pair here...