Westcountry

British rock band The Verve will headline the first Eden Project gig this summer, it has been announced.

The group, who recently reformed, will play at the leading Cornish attraction on Friday 27 June as part of the popular Eden Sessions.

The Verve reunited in June 2007 after an eight-year split which saw lead singer Richard Ashcroft begin a solo career.

Peter Hampel, Eden Project's creative director, said: "This is arguably the biggest coup yet for the Eden Sessions and marks a welcome return to our heartland of great guitar bands.

"The Verve will kick the season off in spectacular style, and with other top names in the pipeline it really looks set to be one of our best ever."

Peter Hampel, Eden Project: "This is arguably the biggest coup yet for the Eden Sessions and marks a welcome return to our heartland of great guitar bands."

The group formed in 1990 in Wigan and released their debut album A Storm in Heaven three years later.

In 1995, they followed it up with the hugely-acclaimed A Northern Soul.

And in the summer of 1997, they established themselves as one of the most important English rock bands of all time with the release of Urban Hymns, an album that included the seminal Bittersweet Symphony and the band's first UK number one single The Drugs Don't Work.

The record became the fifth fastest selling British album ever, sold eight million copies worldwide, went platinum in the US and was given the inaugural Q magazine Classic Album award in 2007.

The Verve split in April 1999 and Ashcroft, once called "the greatest singer in the world" by Coldplay's Chris Martin, forged a successful solo career with the release of three albums - Alone with Everybody, Human Conditions and 2006's Keys to the World.

In June 2007, it was announced that the band would reform with the original line-up – Ashcroft, Nick McCabe, Simon Jones and Pete Salisbury. They are also working on their eagerly-anticipated fourth album.

Since announcing their reformation, they have also been confirmed as headliners at the world-famous Glastonbury and T in the Park festivals in 2008. Their initial comeback gigs in November last year sold out within 20 minutes.

Previous Eden Session headliners have included Grammy-winner Amy Winehouse, London-based singer-songwriter Lilly Allen, acclaimed three-piece rock band Muse, dance supremos Basement Jaxx, Britpop legends Pulp and former Beach Boy Brian Wilson.

Tickets for The Verve's Eden Session cost £35 plus a booking fee of £5 and will go on general sale on Thursday March 27 at 6.30pm. To book, call the Eden box office on 01726 811972 or visit www.edenbookings.com.