Organisers of this year’s World of Music, Arts and Dance (WOMAD) have made their first announcement about the line-up at this year’s summer festival.

WOMAD, which has been known to attract the likes of Prince Harry in recent years, returns to Charlton Park, Malmesbury, from July 24 to 27 with a host of new acts and musical transnational collaborations including the likes of soul singer Alice Russell, who was forced to pull out last year.

Jetting across from New Zealand, Fat Freddy’s Drop, a seven-piece dub and soul act, will be performing, as will Bassekou Kouyate from Mali with the ancient harp lute of West Africa.

From the Balkans, Goran Bregovic will be exhilarating festival-goers with his mix of rock and gypsy brass band tradition.

Oliver Myukudi and The Black Spirits on their Zimbabwean guitars will be returning to the Wiltshire festival to perform, as will Norwegian singer Mari Boine with a folk, rock and jazz sound, traditional to her Sami homeland.

For some of the transnational performances that many have come to know and love about WOMAD, this year is no exception with Cuban pianist Roberto Fonseca and Malian singer Fatoumata Diawara sharing their traditional sounds.

Another double act which have been married up for WOMAD is former Carolina Chocolate Drops singer Dom Flemons, with Martin Simpson, a folk and blues guitarist.

Among the acts will be many new names and unseen faces discovered by WOMAD, including Iranian sisters Mahsa and Marjan Vahdat, the 20-piece Magic Drum Orchestra; and Genocide surviving trio, The Good Ones, whose music is expected to be as powerful as their story.

Adult and disabled adult weekend tickets cost £160, while SN16 residents can purchase them for £115.

Teenage weekend tickets (ages 14 to 17 years) cost £80 with children up to the age of 13 entering for free.

For more information on the complete line-up announced so far go online to www.womad.co.uk or, to book, call 0118 960 6060.