One of the UK's biggest bands was yesterday announced as a headline act for one of this summer's Thetford Forest concerts. Scottish act Travis will be performing an open air gig on the Norfolk-Suffolk border on June 8 as part of a huge countrywide come back tour.

One of the UK's biggest bands was yesterday announced as a headline act for one of this summer's Thetford Forest concerts.

Scottish act Travis will be performing an open air gig on the Norfolk-Suffolk border on June 8 as part of a huge countrywide come back tour.

The concert at High Lodge, near Thetford, will come a month after the release of the band's fifth studio album and their first major UK outing for nearly three years.

Travis concerts in London, Warrington, and Glasgow next month have sold out in record time and the Forestry Commission is expecting similar demand when 6,000 Thetford Forest tickets go on sale today .

Roger Woods, commission spokesman, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Travis will be performing in the forest. They have been a long time away and have a new album and single out and it is great news for the forest and a real coup,” he said.

The Glasgow band, which is renowned for its belting collection of bittersweet pop music, was formed by school friends Fran Healy, Andy Dunlop, Neil Primrose and Dougie Payne in 1990.

Their debut album Good Feeling in 1997 sold 40,000, but Travis shot to fame with their multi platinum albums The Man Who (1999) and The Invisible Band (2001) with the hit singles Why Does It Always Rain On Me, Driftwood, Writing To Reach You, Sing, and Flowers in the Window.

But following the release of 12 Memories in 2003 and a singles album a year later, the twice winners of Best British Group at the Brits took a break from the recording studio to refresh and write new material. The release of single Closer in April and their fifth album The Boy With No Name in May is set to remind people why Travis has sold millions of records and been a festival headliner for so many years.

The band is the second act to be confirmed for the extended Thetford Forest concerts this year, which will include six dates in June and July. About 900 tickets are left for the James Morrison gig on June 7.

Tickets for Travis on June 8 go on sale from 9am today and cost £24.50 from the ticket hotline on 01842 814612, or from www.forestry.gov.uk/music or www.gigsandtours.com.