A VILLAGE music festival has pulled off a huge coup by attracting legendary folk-rockers Fairport Convention as one of its headliners.

The band will be playing the Newnham Live festival next week in one of six concerts at St Peter’s Church.

Performers will be travelling from as far as Mumbai to perform at the event, which kicks off on Thursday, June 7 with Devonian twins, The Carrick Sisters, performing folk and country harmonies and continues with the “ground-breaking” British/Indian blues group Michael Messer’s Mitra for a meeting of musical cultures.

Fairport Convention take centre stage on Saturday, June 9, with the band’s fiddler Ric Sanders also joined by guitarist Vo Fletcher for a night of jazz and blues six days later.

The Fairports have been at the forefront of the English folk rock scene for more than five decades, releasing their classic Liege and Lief album in 1969, and founding the popular Cropredy

Festival 42 years ago in 1976.

But it’s not all folk, blues and rock ’n’ roll, as baroque acoustic classical group Red Priest bring some 18th century melody to St Peter’s on Thursday, June 14, and the Saturday, June 16, finale sees boogie-woogie pianist Dino Baptiste and his “roof raising” band Night Train.

Sponsored by local property developer Freeman Homes, who are bulding homes in the area, the festival is organised by volunteers.

Funds raised from ticket sales will be split between the Forest of Dean Great Oaks Hospice and the restoration of St Peter’s Church bells, and future community projects and events.

Freeman Homes joint CEO, Luke Freeman, said, “We are delighted to be the headline sponsor of Newnham Live.

“The village of Newnham has a really strong community and there’s always a lot going on. We are delighted to be involved with the festival.”

For tickets and more information about the festival visit newnhamlive.org