ELEVEN thousand people are set to descend on the grounds of a historic property said to be the country’s first Palladian-style mansion for one of Britain's most family-oriented festivals.

Tickets to the three-day Deer Shed Festival, taking place from July 21 until July 23 in the extensive estate at Baldersby Park, near Thirsk, have sold out.

This year’s line-up has been described by organisers as the “best ever” and includes some of the world’s biggest touring artists and leading independent acts.

Music acts set to take to the stage include Teenage Fanclub, Kate Tempest and The Divine Comedy.

The Bigtop stage will be transformed for comedy nights and a programme of family-friendly theatre has been picked from the best Edinburgh Fringe shows.

Headliners include John Shuttleworth, Hal Cruttenden and Justin Moorhouse, along with PG-rated theatre shows, The Noise Next Door and Jarred Christmas & Hobbit: The Great Comedy Beat Box Party.

Literary and spoken word events will be presented by guests including The Guardian journalist and commentator Owen Jones, along with two other Guardian journalists Tim Dowling and Stuart Heritage who will hold a joint discussion on family life.

Novelist Amy Liptrot and poet Vanessa Kissule will also be performing.

There will also be more than 80 arts, crafts and science workshops on offer across the weekend.

The Wilderwild section will be filled with more original performances and nature-based activities.

The Lake Poets will run a song writing workshop, whilst Rock School UK will introduce young people to samba drumming among other musical exploits.

A festival spokesman said: “Whether you love brilliant music, making lovely crafts, geeking out in the science tent, or even just keeping fit in the sports arena – we’ve got mum, dad, the kids, grandma and grandad, fun uncles and aunties, cousins, half-cousins, estranged cousins, and anyone else you can possibly think of, covered.”

The festival was set up by parents Kate and Oliver Jones, who had suffered bad experiences when bringing their children to music festivals, so decided to organise their own family-friendly event.