A LOUNGE-LADEN set by the Arctic Monkeys, with frontman Alex Turner going all Scott Walkery on us, or the diesel-fuelled biker metal of Guns N’ Roses might not have been everyone’s idea of a good night out.

Both delivered in their own right, with the former’s highly stylised performance and the latter proving that the killer combo of singer Axl Rose, whose voice worked wonders on Knocking On Heaven’s Door, and guitarist Slash, who nailed it after launching into the famed Sweet Child O’ Mine riff following a virtuoso guitar solo, are a force to be reckoned with.

But Glastonbury festival’s best moments are rarely confined to the quality of its heralded headliners.

For some, its most memorable moment might have been when thousands of revellers formed a giant human world peace sign near the stone circle.

Others may have been inspired when poet Miles Chambers was joined by GP Rebecca Hall, physiotherapist Ben Matthews and nurse Angela Reece on the Pyramid stage to perform a poem to mark the 75th anniversary of the NHS on July 5.

Reciting the poem, he said: “I see humanity I see care; I see people who are always there. I see an institution free to all whether you’re rich or poor young or old.”

The CND peace sign returned to adorn the top of the Pyramid, while a giant grass-painted We Stand With The NHS mural was also painted in front of the stage.

Then there was the Bristol Reggae Orchestra and Windrush Choir, a musical group celebrating the Windrush generation and its descendants, who opened the stage on Sunday.

A comedy highlight was definitely made when radio presenter Shaun Keaveny dressed as Nadine Dorries to sing a Boris Johnson-loving version of Olivia Newton-John’s Hopelessly Devoted To You, in reference to the former culture secretary’s blind loyalty to the disgraced ex-PM.

His hugely entertaining live broadcast for his crowd-funded Community Garden Radio at the Crow’s Nest stage, high up on the hill, saw him joined by singer-songwriter Billy Bragg, who gave a rousing rendition of A New England in dedication to the late Kirsty MacColl.

Bragg also took the opportunity to remind those gathered of the festival’s left-wing roots, highlighting its support for the miners’ strike in the ’80s.

His curation of the festival’s Left Field stage never disappoints, which this year saw debates on the NHS and the mass strikes taking place across all sectors.

The Can We Save The NHS? panel heard from We Own It’s Johnbosco Nwogbo and Labour’s shadow mental health minister Dr Rosena Allin Khan.

Mr Nwogbo said: “Privatisation is one of the biggest problems the NHS has. Labour still needs to do a job to win you over.

“I would like to see an NHS have access to care when they need it not six months later. And I’d like to see it cover dentistry again.”

Ms Allin Khan admitted: “We cannot assume that we are going to win an election on the back of the Tories being rubbish.”

The stage, founded in 2000 to promote trade unionism, left-wing politics and campaigns, also heard from survivors of the Grenfell Tower tragedy who donned T-shirts reading: “72 months, 72 lives, no arrests, no justice.”

But Natasha Elcock, Grenfell United chairwoman, who lost her uncle in the 2017 blaze while other family members were among the last to escape, is not holding her breath for justice.

She said: “Accountability is important, but I’ve resigned myself to the fact it’s not going to happen.

“Hillsborough showed us what’s going to come down the road.”

Glastonbury even came close to being more radical than the Tolpuddle Martyrs’ festival this year when it announced that it would screen the Oh, Jeremy Corbyn film at its onsite Pilton Palais cinema, but alas pulled it days before opening its gates. 

A joyous party atmosphere filled a more packed than ever Pyramid stage as megastar Elton John closed the final night.

Inflatable balls, and even an unwieldy blow-up banana, bounced through the crowd as the gold-suited pianist opened with an emphatic Pinball Wizard while fireworks shot through the sky. A greater opening to the set could not have been imagined.

Rattling through hit after hit, including Bennie And The Jets, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Tiny Dancer (with The Killers frontman Brandon Flowers), Are You Ready For Love (featuring Jacob Lusk from Gabriels), Don’t Go Breaking My Heart (with singer Rina Sawayama) and Your Song, before finishing with Rocket Man to a shower of confetti, sealed the night.

There was no encore, and wild predictions of big-name onstage guests including Britney Spears and Paul McCartney were not forthcoming — pop star Dua Lipa, who apparently was due to turn up for Cold Heart, didn’t.

But his headline set will surely be remembered alongside the Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Beyonce and Blur as one of the festival’s greatest. Another historic weekend down at the farm.