PAUL Heaton and Jacqui Abbott, along with special guest Billy Bragg are to play at Dalby Forest next summer as part of Forest Live, the summer concert series organised by the Forestry Commission.

The duo’s latest album ‘Crooked Calypso’ charted at number two making it their highest release to date following on from two further top five albums in ‘What Have We Become’ and ‘Wisdom, Laughter and Lines’.

Paul Heaton, one of the UK’s most successful songwriters with some 10 million album sales under his belt, first came to public attention in the early 80s as front man of Hull-based indie poppers The Housemartins. Heaton went on formed The Beautiful South, who released 10 hugely successful albums. Jacqui Abbott was lead vocalist in The Beautiful South from ’94 to 2000 and she sang many of their signature hits. The Forest Live gigs will see them play material from their albums as a duo and songs from The Beautiful South and the Housemartins.

Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott will be at Dalby Forest on Saturday, June 23. Tickets are available from 9am on Friday, October 20from the Forestry Commission box office, phone 03000 680400, or buy online at www.forestry.gov.uk/music