THIS was the emotional moment when Chris Martin met Viola Beach's families just minutes before Coldplay headlined Glastonbury Festival.

Around 35 family members of the Warrington band and their manager Craig Tarry, who died in a crash in Sweden on February 13, were personally invited to be Chris's guests as he closed the festival on Sunday. 

Coldplay also created an 'alternate future' for Viola Beach when he 'let them headline Glastonbury for a song'.

The world's biggest band covered Viola Beach's last single, Boys That Sing, and appealed for fans to get it back into the charts.

Two buses were arranged to take the family members of Kris Leonard, Jack Dakin, Tomas Lowe, River Reeves and Craig Tarry to Glastonbury on Sunday morning.

They met the band, were given VIP access to the festival and watched Coldplay from a special viewing gallery.

"It was a special day," said Ben Dunne, River's dad.

"The whole thing was like a dream but we also felt that Coldplay did it so tastefully.

"Chris seemed genuinely moved by what happened to the boys. It felt like River was looking down on us with a big smile on his face.

"There were mixed emotions as we all reckoned they would headline Glastonbury one day."

Just before covering Boys That Sing, Chris Martin, described Viola Beach as a 'beautiful young band' to rapturous applause from the 175,000-strong crowd.

He added: "They were a band that just got signed and were on their first tour of the world and went through a tragic accident and they got taken away.

"We as a band thought that was just the worst. It reminded us of us and of all the other bands who come through here.

"The excitement and the joy and the hope - we really felt that in them.

"We are going to create Viola Beach’s alternate future for them and let them headline Glastonbury for a song.

"Kris, Jack, River, Tomas and their manager Craig – this is maybe what would have been you in 20 years."

Ben said: "Chris said it was a privilege to honour the boys and said what a great bunch of boys they were.

"There was the usual entourage of celebrities moving around in the background but what came across was what a genuine bloke he was."

Warrington Guardian:

The Tarry family's view from the VIP gallery

Sarah Tarry, Craig Tarry's sister, added: "The day was a bittersweet experience.

"Craig always knew that Viola Beach would be headlining Glastonbury one day, and their dreams came true.

"We cannot thank Coldplay and their team enough for what they did for the families. 

"The day consisted of music, mud, rain, tears, celeb spotting and most importantly laughter.

"The mud and rain didn't put a downer to the day, it was part of the famous Glastonbury experience.

"Seeing Coldplay play along with Viola Beach on stage will be remembered forever, it was overwhelming seeing and hearing the crowd sing and dance along.

"We're so proud of Craig, Kris, Jack, River and Tom, we know that they were there with us."

It proved a late night for the families too, arriving back in Warrington at about 6am this morning.

Watch the performance here:

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