The South have been announced as headliners for next year's Aspatria Music Festival. 

It may only be November, but organisers of the three-day event, from July 15 to 17, have been hard to work to secure the line-up to make sure it goes with a bang. 

The Beautiful South are a household name.

Their 20-year career, with hits including Old Red Eyes Is Back, Rotterdam, Don’t Marry Her, Perfect 10, Song For Whoever, You Keep It All In and A Little Time, were a soundtrack for a generation. 

Their greatest hits album, Carry On Up The Charts, was one of the fastest-selling albums in UK history, but after 20 years, 10 studio albums, three greatest hits compilations, 34 chart singles and 15 million record sales worldwide, time was called on the band.

They called it a day in 2007, citing "musical similarities" and everyone thought that was it. 

But The South continued. Original members Dave Hemingway and Alison Wheeler, with mainstays Damon Butcher and Gaz Birtles play up and down the land to celebrate the music of The Beautiful South. 

Dave was an ever-present with The Beautiful South, singing on many of their hits, including their only number one, A Little Time, with Briana Corrigan sharing vocal duties.

Former drummer of The Housemartins, he became one of The Beautiful South’s three vocalists, the other being singer-songwriter Paul Heaton.

Alison was brought into The Beautiful South by Dave Hemingway after the departure of first Briana Corrigan and then Jacqui Abbott.

She featured on the Gaze, Goldiggas Headnodders and Pholk Songs and Superbi albums.

The nine-piece will be the star attraction at Aspatria Music Festival, held at Aspatria Rugby Club. 

Colin Rumney, committee spokesman, said: "We are over the moon to announced The South as our headliners for 2016. They still have a massive following. 

"We are working hard to top this year's festival, which was a great success." 

Other bands confirmed include Boomin, The Fiction, Mojo Rising, The Fusion Dukes, Blackout Blues Band and Buyers Club. 

For more information, visit www.aspatriamusicfestival.co.uk