Radiohead - Oxford's most famous band are planning a big homecoming concert, writes Andrew Ffrench.

Talks are under way between the group and Oxford City Council for a gig in South Park, where the Oomf! festival was held last year.

More than 35,000 tickets are expected to go on sale for the celebration of local music talent, which Radiohead will headline on July 7.

Each year, rumours circulate that after touring the globe, the band, which last night was named best alternative rock group at the Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, will play a big concert in their home city. But this time it could be for real.

The group Thom Yorke, Ed O'Brien, Colin and Jonny Greenwood and Phil Selway were all pupils at Abingdon School.

Now their promoters will pay £25,000 to hire the park for the day.

City council bosses are so confident the event will go ahead they have already taken the money into account in next year's budget.

Cllr Jim Campbell, Liberal Democrat chairman of the leisure services committee, said: "The band wants to have an Oxford concert and have committed themselves to a date in July. This would be great for Oxford, and we are very keen on the idea, subject to certain conditions, particularly in terms of making sure local residents are not badly affected.

"Oomf! was a great success and I'm sure this concert could be too.

"Radiohead would pay for the cost of hiring the park, so in a sense, they would be helping out their home town. This is not yet signed and sealed, but it is very close to being delivered."

The council's head of parks services, Andrew Parsons, said he was confident the event would go ahead. He said the Party in the Park last year, which starred Craig David, proved that a music event in South Park could be a major success.

The Radiohead concert would be the largest event since the OOMF! festival, which was backed by the Oxford Mail and attended by 50,000 people.

Mr Parsons added: "We have more signed bands in Oxford per head of population than anywhere else in the country. The idea is that, while Radiohead would probably be the main attraction, the event would be a showcase for local talent.

"Emergency services, including staff at the John Radcliffe Hospital, are being consulted on arrangements for the day."

The day-long festival could feature the band's big-top tent which was used on their UK tour last year, when they unveiled songs from their fourth studio album, Kid A.

One of the last occasions they played live in Oxfordshire was in 1994, when they played a charity gig at Abingdon's Old Gaol. They have also played a number of "secret" gigs to select audiences.

A source close to the band confirmed that talks were taking place but many details still needed to be discussed.

Radiohead factfile The band's albums The Bends, OK Computer and Kid A have sold millions worldwide and have won the group a whole host of accolades.

The Bends won a Brit award nomination while OK Computer won a Grammy award in 1998 for Best Alternative Rock Performance.

In a recent survey of all-time top albums, The Bends came second only to The Beatles Revolver.

Lead singer Thom Yorke, and fellow band members Ed O'Brien, Colin and Jonny Greenwood and Phil Selway met as Abingdon School pupils.

By 1991, they had formed Radiohead and began to get noticed in America with their teen-angst single Creep, taken from their first album Pablo Honey, recorded at Chipping Norton recording studios.

Then in 1995, The Bends, with tracks including High And Dry and Fake Plastic Trees, catapulted them into the big time.

They toured the world but kept Oxford as their base. Thom Yorke can sometimes be seen strolling along Cowley Road, while drummer Phil Selway has worked for the Samaritans.

He also takes time out to do drum workshops for local schoolchildren.