Lynyrd Skynyrd to bring farewell tour to UK and Europe next summer

Lynyrd Skynyrd are to bring their farewell tour to the UK and Europe next summer.

The Southern rock band, known for hits including Sweet Home Alabama and Free Bird, launched their Last Of The Street Survivors Farewell Tour in May in the US and Canada.

The band will come to Europe in June next year for a series of concerts in Germany, Belgium and Switzerland, before arriving in the UK.

UK venues they will perform at between 26 June and 30 June include Glasgow's SSE Hydro Arena, the Manchester Arena, London's Wembley Arena and the Genting Arena Birmingham.

Status Quo are set to join the band as special guests for their UK dates, while Blackberry Smoke will perform with them in Germany.

The tour marks the end of a career that has spanned more than four decades.

The band formed in 1964 by original members Ronnie Van Zant, Bob Burns, Allen Collins, Gary Rossington and Larry Jundstrom, and enjoyed success with a string of popular hits.

In 1977 tragedy struck when three members of the group - lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and his sister, vocalist Cassie Gaines - died in an air crash on their way to a concert in Louisiana.

The band did not return until a decade later and have since gone on to tour extensively.

They also released a number of albums, the most recent being Last Of A Dyin' Breed in 2012.

The current line-up includes original member Rossington, Johnny Van Zant, Rickey Medlocke, Mark "Sparky" Matejka, Michael Cartellone, Keith Christopher, Peter Keys, Dale Krantz Rossington and Carol Chase.

In August, former guitarist Ed King, who helped to write the hit Sweet Home Alabama, died of cancer aged 68.

King joined Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1972 when the band had a distinctive three-guitar sound.

Tickets for the UK and European dates will go on sale on 9 November.