SINGING legend Tom Jones, pictured, is returning to the Larmer Tree Festival this year as the festival celebrates its 25th anniversary.

Taking place from July 15 to July 19 on the Wiltshire and Dorset border, Jones will be headlining the main stage on the opening night – Wednesday, July 15. And he is delighted to be coming back, saying the “energy of the crowd and unique atmosphere” of last year’s festival was “wonderful”.

Headlining on Thursday will be the Levellers and Bellowhead, an 11-piece contemporary folk band famed for their high-energy live performances.

Raghu Dixit, one of India’s biggest musical exports, will be bringing his “soulful, earthy and infectious” music back to Larmer Tree after performing in 2012 while CoCo and the Butterfields are returning with a “vibrant set, powerful vocals and catchy songs”.

Taking to the main stage on Friday are acoustic guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela.

Originally part of a Mexican thrash metal band, the pair mix the tempestuous genres of jazz, rock, nuevo flamenco and heavy metal.

On Saturday, Femi Kuti & The Positive Force will be showcasing their Afrobeat style with a blend of funk, jazzand African folk, performing songs from Kuti’s Grammy- nominated albums.

And Jimmy Cliff completes the festival’s headline line-up closing the festival on Sunday night. With a career spanning nearly 50 years, and playing tracks from his 2012 album, Rebirth, Cliff will deliver a set of popular reggae.

As always, world music features strongly on the festival line-up with ticket-holders able to enjoy the Afro-Electro sounds from Ibibio Sound Machine, a blend of multi-cultural music from the Parisian Orchestre National de Barbes and the hybrid mix of calypso music with modern influences from Canadian and Caribbean Kobo Town.

For all-night revellers, there is a programme of stand-up with the Comedy Club and diverse late-night live music highlights in The Social.

A new late-night venue is being launched among the trees in the Lostwood to coincide with the festival’s 25th birthday, hosting the festival’s DJs.

The festival, founded by festival director James Shepard, takes place in the grounds of Larmer Tree Gardens.

For more details on the line-up or for ticket information visit larmertreefestival.co.uk or call 02380 711820.

Each year the festival chooses a charity partner to raise money and awareness of and this year it is Julia’s House, a children’s hospice based in Dorset dedicated to helping life-limited children and their families across the county and in South Wiltshire.

Festival-goers will have the option to add a donation to Julia’s House with their ticket purchase.