INDIE royalty The Libertines will be heading to Bournemouth as part of their massive UK Christmas tour.

The band, famous for songs such as Don’t Look Back Into The Sun and What a Waster, will be heading to the O2 Academy in Boscombe on Tuesday, December 3

The band are playing nine dates on the big December tour. The British shows will follow a host of shows across Europe. Tickets, for what is The Libertines first headline tour in over two years, go on sale tomorrow at 9am and are available online from gigsandtours.com and ticketmaster.co.uk

Formed in 1997, the London quartet are no strangers to Dorset. Frontman Pete Doherty grew up in Blandford and they have played many gigs in Bournemouth and Poole over the years.

The band split in 2004 after releasing two albums, with co-frontmen Doherty and Carl Barat going on to pursue their own careers amid sporadic reunions. Doherty released solo material and with band Babyshambles but became better known for his drug problems, brushes with the law and relationship with Kate Moss than his music, while Barat fronted the band, Dirty Pretty Things.

The Libertines scored top 40 hits with singles Time For Heroes and Don’t Look Back Into The Sun, and their biggest hit, Can’t Stand Me Now, which echoed the difficulties between once-loyal friends Barat and Doherty, reached number two. Their second, self-titled album topped the charts in 2004.

Peter Doherty recently released his acclaimed new album Peter Doherty & The Puta Madres and toured the UK and Europe. Carl Barât latterly returned from a sold-out tour of the far East. The Libertines are currently working on their fourth album, the follow up to the No.3 UK charting album Anthems For Doomed Youth (2015), which spawned the hits Gunga Din, Heart Of The Matter and You’re My Waterloo.

The Libertines are Peter Doherty on vocals/guitar, Carl Barât on vocals/guitar, John Hassall on bass guitar and Gary Powell on drums.

* Tickets are on sale online from 9am tomorrow, June 28 at ticketmaster.co.uk