CHART-TOPPERS Squeeze headline the Wickham Festival which runs from Thursday August 2-5 in the picturesque Hampshire village.

One of Britain’s top bands of the past 40 years, the hugely-popular new wave icons top the bill on Saturday August 4 supported by John Ilsley of Dire Straits, the Tom Robinson Band and Ferocious Dog among others.

Squeeze formed in Deptford, London in 1974 after Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook began writing together.

By 1977 they made their recording debut and had a number of hits which lasted until 1982 during the New Wave period.

Rock legend Steve Harley will be the main attraction on the opening night, Thursday August 2 along with the South and the Dhol Foundation.

The legendary rock icon and the original Cockney Rebel makes his third visit to Wickham Festival. Harley has written and recorded twelve albums in a career covering four decades, and continues to tour to sell-out audiences in many countries world-wide.

Kate Rusby will take to the stage on Friday August 3 – forever proud to call herself a folk singer, her beautiful, expressive vocals never fail to connect the emotional heart of a song to that of her audience.

The crossover appeal Kate enjoys is unprecedented for a folk singer and has been achieved without resort to compromise – as early as 1999, aged just 26, Kate was named as one of the Top Ten Folk Voices of the Century.

Folk icon Richard Thompson closes the event on the Sunday night backed by the Undertones, the Blues Band, Roger Chapman of Family, and the Red Hot Chilli Pipers.

Thompson co-founded Fairport Convention in the 1960s with a group of friends and are regarded by many to have invented British Folk Rock.

He went on to leave Fairport Convention to establish his own career, followed by a lasting musical partnership with his then-wife Linda.

Since then he’s performed for over 30 years as a successful and popular artist who tours both with his electric trio and as a solo acoustic performer.

This is a family-friendly festival with plenty to entertain young children as well as a great range of food, drink and craft stalls, visit:wickhamfestival.co.uk.