AS Ramsbottom Festival edges closer local heroes have been added to the bill.

The event, at Ramsbottom Cricket Club from September 16 to 18, prides itself on giving local and emerging bands the chance to share the same stage as big name headliners.

This year festival organisers have joined forces with Manchester-based Scruff of the Neck Records.

They are an independent record label and music collective who are rapidly becoming one of the go-to grassroots labels in Manchester.

The group’s Mark Lippmann spoke about his involvement in this year’s festival.

He said: “Since agreeing our partnership with Ramsbottom Festival it’s been such a smooth operation and the lineup from the top down is already breathtaking.

“The headliners all work really well together and are pulled together in a unique way unlikely to be rivalled at other similar sized independent festivals.”

Scruff of the Neck artists to play include Liines, False Heads and Feed the Kid.

Mr Lippmann spoke about the bands set for the event.

He said: “I’ve had a lot of freedom to pick the bands I believe are right for the festival at this moment in time.

“It’s really motivating to be given that level of trust and flexibility and I’m certain bands like Glass Caves, Lake Komo and Delamere will attract an even wider demographic.

“At SOTN we’ve used our knowledge of new music across the UK as well as our home town of Manchester to bring in a selection of bands that won’t be playing together at other festivals.

“We’ve blended the best of Manchester with bands from London to Dundee which I think makes it more intriguing for people looking to stumble across their next favourite band.”

The Larkins are excited for their first visit to the festival.

They said: “It’s a real privilege to be asked to play and Ramsbottom festival is a real step up for us. To be amongst the other bands that are there is huge for us and it’s going to really cap off our summer perfectly. We’ve been working hard promoting our newest single Velvet and hopefully the Ramsbottom crowd will come and have a dance with us. We’re ready to blow the roof off!”

Tickets for the festival are on sale now for the reduced price of £27 for a day ticket and weekend tickets for £70 with discounts for families and children.

Prices will rise on August 1. For more information and for tickets visit ramsbottomfestival.com