VINYL fans flocked to Newport on Saturday to celebrate the city’s independently owned record shops as part of an annual event.

Its Record Store Day celebrations included a bagpiper playing in the city centre and an event at The Riverfront, organised by one of Newport’s record shops, Diverse Music.

Diverse On The Usk was opened by the city’s mayor, Cllr Matthew Evans and looked to celebrate the area’s music scene.

Dean Beddis, who has run Kriminal Records in Newport’s Indoor Market for five years, said of record shops and stalls: “They are part of the community."

He added: “Footfall was much better and through the Argus and tweeting on the internet it was well responded to.

“[Collecting vinyl records] is a cool thing. It is not like a download. You possess it; you actually get something for your money. You actually listen to it, not just put in in the background and cook the dinner. And people like collecting and hoarding.”

Originating in the United States, Record Store Day was first held in 2007 and is annually held on the third Saturday of April.

Record collectors and music fans could buy limited edition vinyls by a host of household names. A picture disc of David Bowie’s Changes was released with only 3,000 available across the country.

Mr Beddis managed to secure a few copies of The White Stripes’ Get Behind Me Satan, of which only 2,000 were available, along with Sleaford Mods’ Tiswas EP. There was only 1,000 of those around the UK.

And hundreds of pounds was raised with a pop-up vinyl shop which was set up to raise funds for Maes Ebbw Bach, a school for children with autism and other special needs in Brynglas.

It was based at Kriminal Records before moving to The Riverfront later.

Acoustic sets were performed by Houdini Dax, The Vestals and Burning Ferns, while Newport City Radio organised pop-up gigs for shoppers on Commercial Street. Collectors were also given a Newport Record Store Day T-shirt for visiting participating shops.