AS a festival that has always championed national stars and international legends alongside local heroes old and young, this year’s Head For The Hills Festival is set to be a more exciting prospect than ever before on 14-16 September.

Following last year’s statement headliners, Maximo Park and the Stranglers, expectations have once again been raised, with the Ramsbottom festival this year set to conclude on Sunday,September, 16 with a performance from Irish new wave legends, the Boomtown Rats. The Bob Geldof-fronted County Dublin quartet are famed for number one singles, ‘Rat Trap’ (1978) and ‘I Don’t Like Mondays’ (1979) that brought the new wave genre to the fore.

The weekend will launch with a Friday night headline set from indie-electro quartet, the Slow Readers Club, who return to the festival having previously headlined the Smaller Rooms Stage on the Friday night in 2016. A sentimental moment for long-time fans of the festival, the Manchester band have a national cult following that have seen them rise through the local scene to a sell-out show at Manchester Albert Hall last November; their loyal fans will no doubt be out in full force.

Speaking on their upcoming headline slot, The Slow Readers Club said: "Head for the Hills played a big part in building our audience and helping us reach new people, so its nice to return for our first festival headline show and first time on the Head To The Hills main stage".

Young German bands, Giant Rooks and Razz, are set to take the Saturday by storm, both bringing their own unique brands of contemporary indie rock from the continent to follow up the impressive performance made by Giant Rooks at last year’s festival.

But the festival will also embrace artists closer to home, as local indie-punks, Urban Theory make their Head For The Hills debut on the Friday night, having sold out Manchester’s Deaf Institute in May this year. Sunday afternoon will continue to flag-fly for Bury’s home-grown talent, as Bury Community Choir take to the stage to showcase their eclectic repertoire of all from Handel to Abba.

It would not be Head For The Hills without further fun for all the family, as Jez Mansfield’s magic-comedy mixture and the Playground of Illusions’ art-science experience extend the festival’s assortment of entertainments for all.

Also performing during the festival will be The Lovely Eggs, Stealing Sheep and Barry Hyde of The Futureheads, The Bluetones, LIINES and many more.

Poet Tony Walsh will give a special performance on Saturday evening.

Artistic Director for Head for the Hills David Agnew said: "We were saddened to hear the news that The Beat were unable to play this year due to illness, however we wish them well and hope to have them back at the festival very soon.

"We’re incredibly pleased to have friends of the festival, The Slow Readers Club stepping in at such short notice. Having performed early gigs at Head for the Hills in 2015 and 2016, they are now set to return to the festival triumphantly as our headline act."

Head For The Hills Festival takes place on 14-16 September at Ramsbottom Cricket Ground.

Tickets available from www.headforthehills.org.uk/tickets/