TOP acts such as Franz Ferdinand, Elbow and Sigur Ros are set to pull in the crowds at this summer's Latitude festival at Henham Park.The festival, on the Henham estate between Halesworth and Beccles, will also see controversial Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh, bestselling fiction writer Iain Banks and author and screenwriter Hanif Kureishi on the literary stage.

TOP acts such as Franz Ferdinand, Elbow and Sigur Ros are set to pull in the crowds at this summer's Latitude festival at Henham Park.

The festival, on the Henham estate between Halesworth and Beccles, will also see controversial Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh, bestselling fiction writer Iain Banks and author and screenwriter Hanif Kureishi on the literary stage.

Comics include Bill Bailey, Ross Noble and Phill Jupitus to continue the festival's strong reputation for comedy.

The main musical attraction is Scottish indie-rockers Franz Ferdinand, famous for chart hits Do You Want To and Take Me Out.

Also headlining are Icelandic experimental band Sigur Ros, and New York band Interpol will close the festival on the Sunday night, continuing the strong indie theme to this year's event. Other musical attractions include American indie-poppers Death Cab for Cutie, Mancunian band Elbow, whose new album has won rave reviews, and the Breeders, founded in the 1980s by former Pixie Kim Deal and still attracting a cult following.

Last year's festival sold out, and organisers Festival Republic (formerly Mean Fiddler) hope that 20,000 people will flock to Henham Park again this year between July 17 and 20.

Festival Republic managing director Melvin Benn said: “I cannot wait. It has so much in store that July 17 cannot come quickly enough for me.”

In a dig at other festivals which have been expanding their comedy and arts offerings, he said: “Latitude has, as I had hoped, rewritten the rule book of what a festival might be and can be and of course therefore, immediately influenced other existing festivals and spurned copycats.

“I am hardly surprised, except that it has happened so quickly. It is a great compliment but it is only that. The real true festival of musical harmony, artistic and creative beauty is on the sunrise coast and is Latitude.”

Music curator Jon Dunn said: “I'm excited with our headliners for this year's festival and looking forward to announcing further great acts over the forthcoming weeks. Franz Ferdinand will be phenomenal, Interpol will rock and captivate and the beautifully ethereal and epic Sigor Ros will soar.”

There are four music arenas and six arts stages, including cabaret and theatre. The Royal Court Theatre, Sadler's Wells dance company and the BBC are among the outside organisations who will be having an input. And the poetry arena includes performances from Carol Ann Duffy, Simon Armitage and John Hegley.

Tickets are now on sale at £130 for the weekend, and are available from www.seetickets.com/latitude.