ORGANISERS of a popular East Renfrewshire music festival are putting female artists at the forefront of their plans – after similar events were slated for their lack of diversity.

This year's Playground Festival will boast a 45 per cent female line-up, which towers above the UK festival average last year of just 26 per cent.

Event bosses made the commitment during an all-female announcement, in which they revealed Scottish electro-pop outfit Chvrches, fronted by Lauren Mayberry, and pop pioneer Neneh Cherry will top the bill on Saturday, August 1.

The set from Chvrches will be the trio’s homecoming show, following their US tour.

Festival founder and organiser Brian Traynor said: "We have worked hard to bring together a world-class line-up of musicians for Playground Festival 2020 and we are delighted to announce Chvrches and Neneh Cherry as our Saturday headliners.”

The commitment to female artists comes just months after bosses at Glasgow's TRNSMT festival were slated for a lack of diversity in their line-up.

Geoff Elis, TRNSMT festival director, claimed in November it would be “a while” until there was a 50/50 balance, adding there are “far, far less female artists” than males.

Only Rita Ora and Little Simz have so far been announced as female acts for TRNSMT, with 11 male acts confirmed.

The inaugural Playground Festival held last summer, within 200,000 square feet of gardens and woods at Rouken Glen Park, in Giffnock, attracted more than 14,000 revellers.

Performances that year included international acts like Groove Armada, Hot Chip, Django Django and Anna Calvi.

In addition to a carefully-curated 'Food Forest,' this year’s festival promises to be a family-friendly affair, with Mini Manoeuvres on-site all weekend to provide face-painting, soft play, dancing and games for the little ones.

The festival will also feature aerial acrobatic performers, a craft beer area and a dedicated gin garden.

Some of the acts already on the line-up include The Flaming Lips, Underworld, Leftfield, The Wailers and Nightmares On Wax Street, with more performers still to be announced.

This year’s event takes place from Friday, July 31, until Sunday, August 2.

Tickets are available online at playgroundfestival.co.uk, with prices from £49 for adults and £24 for under-14s, with children under the age of seven admitted for free.