Scottish folk-singing icon Dougie MacLean will make a long-awaited return to St Ives when he headlines the opening night of this year's September Festival.

Dougie, who wrote the Scottish "anthem" Caledonia, will bridge a seven-year gap since his 2012 appearance when he performs at St Ives Guildhall on Saturday, September 14.

He is one of five big names from the folk music world announced this week for this year's 15-day St Ives September Festival of music and arts.

Dougie will be followed by BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winner Sam Kelly and the Lost Boys, Irish band Dervish and Cornwall-born Geoff Lakeman, with Show of Hands closing the Festival on Saturday, September 28.

MacLean, who also wrote the music for the film Last of the Mohicans, has played concerts and festivals all over the world including New York's Carnegie Hall, Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall and London’s Festival Theatre.

His ending of the closing ceremony at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow - with Kylie Minogue and Lulu - was viewed by more than a billion people worldwide.

He has received numerous gold discs for album sales, two prestigious Tartan Clef Awards, a place in the Scottish Music Hall of Fame, a Lifetime Achievement Award from BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and an OBE in the New Year Honours list!

Bristol-based Sam Kelly - who took the Horizon prize for emerging talent at the 2016 Radio 2 Folk Awards - will also be making a welcome return to The Guildhall on Wednesday, September 18, after fronting The Changing Room and also guesting with the John McCusker Band at the 2017 Festival.

Dervish, who have have played at festivals from Rio to Glastonbury, toured with the Irish President and struck up tunes on the Great Wall of China, will be hoping for a more leisurely arrival in St Ives than they had on their last appearance in 2015.

A flight delay resulted in a car dash which saw them arrive at The Guildhall less than 15 minutes before they were due on stage for their sold-out performance.

Geoff Lakeman, a Conishman who has lived on Dartmoor for 40 years, continues recent Lakeman family appearances which saw son Seth headline last year's opening night, daughter-in-law Cara Dillon and son Sam close the Festival in 2017 while his other son Sean and wife Kathryn Roberts appeared there in 2015.

Former Fleet Street journalist Geoff, who has spread his wings musically since retiring - and brought out his appropriately-named debut album After All These Years in 2017 - will be at The Guildhall on Friday, September 27.

West Country favourites Show of Hands - St Ives Festival patrons Steve Knightley and Phil Beer - are the star attractions to close this year's Festival the following night.

In more than two decades on the road, 25 album releases, two honorary doctorates, three BBC Folk Awards and tours in 14 countries from America to Australia, they were also voted Greatest Devonians in a poll beating historic figures like Sir Francis Drake and modern-day music greats Chris Martin, Muse and Joss Stone.

They have sold out London's Royal Albert Hall four times and all the tickets for their last appearance together at St Ives two years ago, were snapped up well in advance.