Popular Oxford band Stornoway are to split after a decade of entertaining music fans.

The group's farewell tour in the spring will be the last chance to see the band.

After starting out in East Oxford the band went on to play Glastonbury and a number of memorable gigs including one at the Sheldonian Theatre.

Fans have been reacting with dismay to the announcement on the group's website, which explained how circumstances had driven band members apart.

A statement said: "Today we bring you some sad news.

"After a whole decade of wonderful adventures together, we have decided to call it a day.

"Stornoway will become ‘Stor-no-more’. Our friendship and love of music remains as strong as ever, but over the last couple of years the winds of change seem to have blown us all in different directions.

"For Brian the call of the wild has lured him back into the world of wildlife conservation, and he now works as a nature reserve warden in South Wales.

"Rob has followed his heart across the Atlantic to NYC. Having gone straight from school onto the road with Stornoway, he is now finding time for a mixture of university study and music over there.

"Oli has been drawn into the bustle of London where he is running a successful start-up for gig-lovers, called Tigmus, and playing Zulu music from his home country. Jon is still making music in Oxford - the band’s home and birthplace - and is realising his dream of writing and recording music for radio, film and theatre.

"We are immensely proud of the music we have created together. We have truly achieved so much more as a band than we ever dared to dream back when we were students annoying the neighbours in a drafty East Oxford garage.

"We also want to take this opportunity to say how grateful we are to all the loyal fans that we have had the pleasure of entertaining over the years.

"If you have ever come to one of our gigs, backed our Pledge album campaign, bought an album or a T-shirt, badgered a DJ to play our music on the radio, spread the word – whatever it may be – we want to say a huge ‘THANK YOU’ for supporting the band along the way.

"You have all played a vital part in helping us fulfil our musical dreams!

"We are intending to close this chapter in as celebratory a way as we can, so please do come and join us for one last big blast, in the form of our Farewell Tour in Spring 2017!

"We would dearly love to see as many of you as possible - we are only sorry that we can't travel further and wider to play to you all!

"With love and thanks, Brian, Oli, Rob and Jon."

Lead singer Brian added: "Oxford is our home and it is always the highlight of any tour.

"It's a great shame that the band is splitting up but we will all continue to be involved in music in various ways.

"We have been in Stornoway for a long time - Rob and Oli have been doing this since they came out of school.

"As part of the tour in the spring we will be playing the New Theatre in Oxford on March 12 and we are really looking forward to that."