CARFEST is coming back to north Hampshire this summer.

The festival of cars, pop music and food near Overton is to return with an extra day. Organisers of the event, which is the brainchild of media star and Radio 2 DJ, Chris Evans, are putting the first tranche of tickets on sale next Thursday, January 17, at 8am.

Last year, the sold-out two-day show at Laverstoke Park Farm attracted 20,000 people and along with its sister event in Cheshire, raised £968,735 for the BBC Children in Need appeal.

This year’s CarFest will run for three days over the August Bank Holiday weekend, from August 23 to 25 at Laverstoke. Music will continue until 11pm on the Sunday.

Visitors can expect to see a line-up of some of the world’s most famous cars, blasting up a hill in a climb, live music, family entertainment and tasty food, including organic produce from Laverstoke Park Farm.

Last year’s hill climb has been doubled in length, with some tricky turns added.

It is hoped Carfest 2013 will raise more than £1.5million for charity.

The second CarFest will be held in the North and the venue for this will be revealed tomorrow.

Overton residents have been given the opportunity to buy tickets before they go on general sale, and can register through the CarFest website until today.

But there could be a battle before the festival is allowed to go ahead again, as an application requesting a review of Laverstoke’s licence was submitted to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council on December 20.

It requests the review on the grounds of the prevention of public nuisance and crime and disorder, and the protection of children from harm.

Representations on this can be made to the council up until January 17.

Last year, a small group of residents campaigned against the festival, prompting Clare Scheckter, co-owner of the farm with her former Formula One champion husband Jody, to appear before councillors, who reviewed the venue’s licence.

Objectors were worried that CarFest may balloon into an annual event on the scale of Glastonbury festival.

This year’s event and its implications were due to be discussed by Overton Parish Council at its meeting last Wednesday.

Mr and Mrs Scheckter said in a statement: “We are absolutely delighted to be donating the farm as a venue again for CarFest South to support BBC Children in Need.

“We are hoping the event will raise even more in 2013 than last year’s event which raised £478,092.”

They added: “The whole weekend last year had a wonderful family atmosphere and was one of the great highlights of our year on the farm.”

They declined to comment on the licence review.

Information about this year’s event should be available soon at carfest.org.