Jake Bugg among big names set for Sherwood Pines

One of Nottinghamshire’s favourite singers is coming home to launch three nights of top festival-style music in a forest setting.

Chart-topping singer-songwriter Jake Bugg, 22, will be playing in his home county for the first time in almost three years when he headlines Forest Live at Sherwood Pines, near Edwinstowe, on Thursday night.

The annual Forestry Commission music celebration will continue on Friday with former The Beautiful South duo Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott before Elbow frontman Guy Garvey completes the hat-trick of festival-style concerts on Saturday.

Clifton-raised Bugg burst on to the scene in 2012 with his self-titled album that entered the charts at number one and went on to sell double platinum.

He followed that a year later with Shangri La, which was recorded in Malibu. It went into the top five, earning him a second BRIT nomination, and led to a sell-out UK arena tour.

TV viewers will recognise his 2012 single Trouble Town, which is the theme for the BBC series Happy Valley.

Bugg will be supported by Walking On Cars, a five-piece Irish alternative rock band, comprising Patrick Sheehy, Sorcha Durham, Dan Devane, Paul Flannery and Evan Hadnett.

Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott are renowned for songs with humour as well as a strong social conscience and harmonies.

Heaton, who first made his name with the Housemartins, invited Abbott to join The Beautiful South after hearing her sing at a party.

They will reprise many of their hits from that group, such as Rotterdam, Don’t Marry Her and Perfect 10, as well as well-known Housemartins classics.

The duo will also sing their more recent material after they reunited in 2011. Two years ago their album What Have We Become? reached number three in the UK charts and they went on to play the Glastonbury festival.

A second album, Wisdom, Laughter And Lines, went into the top ten.

Oxford band Stornoway, whose 2015 album, Bonxie, won critical acclaim, will open Friday’s music.

On Saturday, Elbow frontman and songwriter Guy Garvey will perform hits from his solo album, Courting The Squall.

He will be accompanied by musicians from the album, such as I Am Kloot’s Pete Jobson on guitar, The Whip’s Nathan Sudders on bass and Alex Reeves on drums. Elbow’s brass section will complete the live line-up.

Scottish composer and musician C. Duncan will support Garvey.

Income generated from ticket sales at Forest Live is spent on protecting, improving and expanding England’s forests and woodlands.