Sonisphere survives freak thunderstorm

The Sonisphere festival in Finland continued until the end last weekend, despite a five-minute freak thunderstorm which left 40 people injured.

The storm damaged the second stage beyond repair, as well as the kit of several artists, with Mötley Crüe being forced to return en route to the event.

Iggy Pop performed a four-song acoustic Stooges set with guitarist James Williamson and saxophonist Steve Mackay, including a rendition of 'I Wanna Be Your Dog'.

Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson introduced Alice Cooper on stage and said: "The stage over there is completely f**ked. Mötley Crüe's stuff is f**ked and our stuff is f**ked, but we don’t care. We’re not going home until you go home."

Both Iron Maiden and Cooper played full sets and prior to the final song of the festival, Dickinson announced: "This is one of the most amazing concerts of my whole life. We were p*ssed on by the gods and we p*ssed on the gods right back. For those of you that have rocked we f**king salute you."

Festival organisers confirmed that the condition of two fans with the most serious injuries after the storm was no longer deemed critical.