End of the road for Lindisfarne

Lindisfarne will play their last concert in Newcastle

One of the best known groups to come out of the north-east of England have decided to call it a day after more than 30 years.

Lindisfarne have had a string of hits over the years, including Fog on the Tyne, Run for Home and Lady Eleanor.

But after 33 years, the group which started life as a pub folk act, have decided it is time to bow out.

The Newcastle-based group, which took their name from the island off the Northumberland coast, have released dozens of albums and played to tens of thousands of people all over the world.

They reached number two in the charts alongside footballer Paul Gascoigne with the single Fog on the Tyne in 1990.

The band, originally formed in 1970, almost folded after the untimely death of former frontman and main songwriter, Alan Hull eight years ago.

Now founding members Ray Laidlaw and Rod Clements, together with Billy Mitchell, Dave Hull-Denholm and Ian Thomson say they will make their final appearance at the Newcastle Opera House, on 1 November.

In a statement, the band said: "After 33 years, scores of albums and thousands of concerts, we have decided to retire from touring and recording at the end of our current UK concert tour.

"There is never a good or easy time to implement a decision of this sort.

"But after some collective soul-searching, we have decided that our concert at the Newcastle Opera House on 1 November will be our last.

"We are in danger of treading water and to continue performing under those circumstances is not an option.

"We have always maintained that when the band stopped producing valid new music, we would call it a day."