Half an hour away...

Returning heroes perform up the road from their home

- By Stephen Beech

MANCHESTER was mad for it as Oasis returned to their home town for the first of five sold-out shows.

Fans began queuing outside Heaton Park from 3am yesterday — 12 hours before gates even opened for the iconic band’s first gig in the city for 16 years.

The venue is just half an hour up the M60 Manchester ring road from the Burnage home where brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher grew up.

Some 80,000 fans — many in the band’s trademark bucket hats — waited patiently for their first glimpse of the pair playing together.

Hydrate

And caring Oasis, no longer Half The World Away in the vein of one of their biggest hits, posted on social media to warn their loyal following of “extreme sun and heat”, with temperatures set to reach highs of 28C (83F).

They urged attendees last night to stay sensibly hydrated and to wear sunscreen and, of course, bucket hats.