JOHNNY Marr, British Sea Power and Stornoway are to headline the fifth Deer Shed Festival at Baldersby Park, Topcliffe, near Thirsk, this summer.

The independent festival “run by a family for families” will be held on three stages on 90 acres of North Yorkshire countryside from July 25 to 27, with a bill featuring “the world’s greatest guitarist, a Welsh Music Prize winner, Mercury prize nominees and even a couple of renowned journalists turned folksters”.

Among the first tranche of confirmed acts are The Beta Band’s Steve Mason; Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip; Summer Camp; Police Dog Hogan and We Were Evergreen.

Welsh Music Prize winner Georgia Ruth, Denai Moore, Paws, All We Are, Pins, Raglans, Withered Hand and Nordic Giants will be in the line-up too.

Co-founder Oliver Jones is looking forward to the three-day event with high expectations, buoyed by last year’s festival going so well. “Deer Shed Festival 4 felt like a coming of age, especially with the changes we made to the layout of the site,” he says.

“Our fifth instalment already feels like the festival we’ve been waiting to put on for five years, but because we’re independent, we’ve had to grow sensibly.

“Our challenge in getting bigger is always to do it without losing the cosy atmosphere that people love so much.

“Most importantly, I don’t think we’ve ever been as excited about announcing our headliners as we are this year.”

Johnny Marr will play the Deer Shed on the back of releasing his debut solo album, The Messenger, last year.

“What can you say about Johnny that is not already a part of rock’n’roll history?” says Oliver.

“The rhythmic and melodic power behind The Smiths, one half of Electronic, a member of The The, The Cribs, The Pretenders and Modest Mouse, alongside a raft of guest appearances, Johnny is the defining musician of his generation and a fair few more besides.”

Oliver reckons British Sea Power have been “one of the most consistently inventive and challenging bands of the last decade”.

“They can rightly lay claim to being the biggest cult band in the UK,” he says.

“Constantly looking for new ways to perform and present their music, their five studio albums are complemented by their film soundtracks, while their shows have taken in The Tan Hill Inn, Britain’s highest pub, Carnglaze Caverns in Cornwall, village halls and sea forts.”

Stornoway’s 2010 debut album, Beachcombers Windowsill, pierced the Top 20 and went gold, while last year’s follow-up, Tales From Terra Firma, was launched via a podcast from a boat on the Royal Festival Hall roof.

Special guest Steve Mason has progressed from The Beta Band and King Biscuit Time to two solo albums, last year’s Monkey Mind’s In The Devil’s Time being the most political of his 15-year career.

More names will follow. “In the coming months, we’ll be adding to our music line-up and confirming the bill for our spoken-word stage and the only PG-rated comedy tent at any UK festival,” says Oliver.

“We’ll also be telling you more about the family workshops and weekend-long activities, alongside announcing the theme of this year’s event.”

Weekend tickets have gone on sale at deershedfestival.com, with tent camping and free car parking for ticket holders.