THE legendary Red Devils Army Parachute Display Team and band Scouting for Girls will be appearing at a Herefordshire festival later next month, organisers have confirmed.
Lakefest, set to be at Eastnor Castle near Ledbury from August 12 to 15, said coronavirus rules being relaxed was the news it was waiting for.
A festival spokesperson said the world's pre-eminent free-fall display team The Red Devils will parachute into the festival, in what will be one of less than a handful of civilian displays within the UK for 2021.
Festival director Lee Martin said: "It was so important to me to add something a little bit special to this years celebrations, realising just how long everyone has been waiting to come together in the shared experience of live music under the summer sky, and then the stars: and as one of my team is a former paratrooper, we put this plan together, and it's incredibly rewarding to see it realised.
"No other freefall team in the world come in quite as fast or hard, and this is in part due to the fact that every one of the Devils is a serving soldier with Britain's elite Parachute Regiment: every one of them has seen active service, and every one of them will return to active service.
"They are the bravest of the brave and their display skill evidences that."
Due to circumstances out of the festival's control, it said Echo and The Bunnymen would not be performing at this year's event, but Scouting for Girls are set to fill the Saturday night slot.
"The London trio is a great fit for Lakefest and we are delighted to have secured the pop rock band at such short notice," a festival spokesperson said.
Legendary singer Tom Jones was revealed as one of the headliners earlier this year, with organisers excited at the prospect.
Mr Martin added: "We were so excited with this years line up, I mean Tom Jones.
"But this is the adrenaline cherry on our festival cake, we can't wait to put the show on, hope to see you all in our field beneath the ancient walls of Eastnor Castle.
The festival said it would be exercising "every sensible precaution to create space", and ensure that it proceeded with care and common sense.
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