Fan countdown to Stone Roses homecoming gigs at Heaton Park

Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown in 2004 Credit: Myung Jung Kim/PA Archive/Press Association Images

In their first appearance since reuniting, The Stone Roses will return to their old stomping ground with three huge concerts in Manchester starting tonight.

The Manchester rockers will fill the 75,000-seat Heaton Park venue for three nights from Friday to Sunday, kicking off a world tour. All 225,000 tickets for the gigs reportedly sold out in around an hour.

The gigs will be the first UK dates since the band announced their reunion in October last year.

Their all-star support acts include Primal Scream, The Vaccines, The Wailers and Kid British.

Although it seems unlikely that anything will dampen the spirits fans who have waited more than a decade for this moment, rain is forecast for all three nights with heavy rain expected on Saturday and Sunday nights.

Spectators have been advised to bring waterproof shoes:

Fan Liam Gallagher (L) with former Stone Roses member turned artist John Squire at the launch of his exhibition in London Credit: Yui Mok/PA

The reunion has been welcomed by musicians and artists across the board. In tonight's official programme, British artist Damian Hirst writes "The Stone Roses are more important than Picasso," according to NME.

Fans will be hoping there will be no repeat of a gig in Amsterdam earlier in the month when the band's drummer Alan "Reni" Wren walked off stage and went home mid-way through the act.

Read the full story on ITV Granada.