THE sounds of Lindisfarne will be performed at the inaugural music festival on the Holy Island itself.

Ray Laidlaw, the founding drummer with the North-East folk/rock legends and guitarist Billy Mitchell will top the bill at the first-ever Holy Island Festival, from June 25 - 28.

Although the Tyneside hit-makers of the 70s took their name from the historic island off the Northumberland coast, the band never played there professionally.

But four decades after the Lindisfarne heyday, Laidlaw and Mitchell will be performing their UK touring show, charting the history of the group in music and words, at St. Mary’s Church on Sunday June 28.

It will include acoustic versions of the band’s famed anthems, including Meet Me on the Corner, Fog on the Tyne and Run for Home, illustrated with archive video and stills.

Laidlaw, who has friends on the island from more than half-a-century of visits, said: “Billy and I are thrilled to be bringing The Lindisfarne Story to Lindisfarne.

“It seems a very natural and organic thing to tell the story of our music and the people and places that influenced us back on the island whose name we borrowed.”

Acclaimed North-East songwriter and guitarist Martin Stephenson will also be playing the four-day festival, with performances from the Royal Northern Sinfonia, the Sanctuary Ensemble, featuring virtuoso saxophonist and composer Christian Forshaw, plus Viv Wood and Co.

Historic Lindisfarne Castle and Priory will provide venues for associated arts events and workshops featuring pipers, young musicians and a youth circus.

Only 250 tickets are available for The Lindisfarne Story, at St Mary’s Church, on Sunday June 28, at 6.30pm priced £20.

Tickets are only available via www.holyislandfestival.org, the festival website.