PULP and Orbital have been announced as the headlining acts at this year's Ericsson Homelands music festival.

Pulp, the pop band led by the distinctive singer Jarvis Cocker, will be making their only UK festival appearance of the year at the event, which takes place in May.

The quirky group is famous for its hit singles such as Common People and Disco 2000.

Appearing alongside them at the outdoor festival near Winchester, will be the successful chart dance act Orbital, which had one of its biggest hits with an updated version of the theme to The Saint.

This year, the Homelands event is set to be the biggest ever. As reported in the Daily Echo earlier this month, it has been given the go-ahead for 50,000 people to attend - a third more than the 38,000 who attended last year.

About 150 acts, including bands and DJs, have been booked to appear at the event, which is set to attract revellers from all over the country. Another big-name addition to the line-up is The Orb.

Homelands press officer Jonas Stone said: "Pulp will be performing a special set at Homelands, their only festival appearance this year. This is also the first Homelands appearance by Orbital."

The event starts at 1pm on Saturday, May 26, and runs until 7am the next morning.

Winchester city councillors on the licensing committee gave the London-based Mean Fiddler Organisation permission to use land at Matterley Estate, near Cheesefoot Head. The festival will feature several tented arenas.

Some local people are unhappy about the increased capacity of this year's event, with concerns about the possibility of roads and amenities being overwhelmed. But organisers insist it will go off smoothly. Last year's event only brought eight complaints - compared to 70 the year before. Police have not objected to the event, but have expressed concern about the tent capacity which was pushed to the limit last May by the bad weather. Winchester City Council has imposed tight controls, including traffic management and increased parking.

Mr Stone said: "The organisers have a very good working relationship with the council and the police."