Kate Rusby returns to Cumbria next year to headline the Ireby Music Festival.

One of the leading lights of UK folk and roots music, in 1999 she was named as one of the top ten folk voices of the century.

In the same year she was a nominee for the Mercury Music prize for her second solo album, Sleepless.

Kate topped the billing at Ireby Music Festival in 2010 and 2016 and will appear on the Skiddaw stage on the Friday night.

Also performing at the festival, which takes place on May 22 and 23 next year, is Damien O’Kane, who has teamed up with two of Kate’s former band members.

An award-winning banjo player and a superb guitarist, he appears with guitarist Steven Byrnes and bass player Duncan Lyall to transform traditional Irish music and song into folk-pop.

While he is making his debut at the village, others returning to play the festival include Landermason - otherwise known as Fiona Lander (vocals, piano, whistles, clarinet, recorder, saxophones and occasional percussion) and Paul Mason (guitars, ukulele and vocals) - who combine traditional and contemporary folk with jazz, blues, classical and other styles.

Henry Priestman, former songwriter and bandmember of 1980s pop bands The Christians and the Yachts is also back for more with Les Glover, playing songs from their latest album Six of One and Half a Dozen of the Other.

There will be a party atmosphere provided by Holy Moly & The Crackers, whose new album, Take A Bite combines pop/rock songcraft with stomping, four to the floor backing.

Take A Bite has sizeable dollops of rock ‘n’ soul, sharp indie-rock, vulnerable balladeering and festival-ready psychedelic trips towards the Middle East.

Blackbeard’s Tea Party sail into action with outlandish outfits, costume changes, DIY props, unhinged stage antics and chaotic choreography all as standard to their high-octane show Traditional songs and tunes are given a heavy rock edge with rocky riffs, playful arrangements and driving dance rhythms.

The festival is the first to be organised by a committee from the village following the retirement of the event’s originator and organiser Charles Devlin this year.

New director Charles Payne said: “It’s been a tough act to follow the tremendous success created by Charles Devlin, over 17 years of Ireby festivals, supported by his loyal team. We, the new festival committee, wish Charles a very enjoyable retirement with his wife Noleen.

“Continuing the festival into 2020 has been enormous fun, we were fuelled not only by the success of the previous 17 years but also by the amazing and very complimentary comments of festival goers as they returned home. So many said words of praise and significantly ‘see you next year’ and that was well before they knew the line-up for 2020!

“We are are proud to see Kate Rusby returning to Ireby, a firm favourite of so many fans.

“Ireby festival is not just about the big names in music. We seek to offer an opportunity to young aspiring folk musicians bringing fresh talent to the scene.”

For more information and tickets, go to www.irebyfestival.co.uk.