Iron Maiden to headline Download Festival

Rock veterans Iron Maiden are to headline next year’s Download Festival - marking 25 years since they first played Donington Park.

It will be the fifth time they have played the outdoor venue with two appearances at the Monsters Of Rock event and two previous Download appearances under their studded belts.

The 2013 event takes place on the weekend of June 14-16 with tickets going on general sale on September 28.

Frontman Bruce Dickinson said “We’re absolutely over the moon to be headlining Donington again.

The idea of returning exactly 25 years later with a show inspired by that same 1988 Seventh Son Tour, was too good an opportunity to be missed.”

This year’s event saw top-of-the-bill performances by Black Sabbath and Prodigy.