Stone Roses fans snap up 220,000 tickets

The Stone Roses proved their reunion was what the world was waiting for as they sold out three outdoor shows in little over an hour to set a new record.

The band, who announced this week they had reformed for shows and new songs 16 years after splitting, sold 220,000 tickets for three shows at Manchester’s Heaton Park.

Singer Ian Brown said: “We plan on spending the rest of the day jumping up and down with our hands in the air.”

With tickets costing at least £50, the band’s decision to reunite will prove lucrative, with fans handing over upwards of £11 million for the shows.

The tickets went in just 68 minutes, which promoters claim is a new record, becoming the fastest-selling rock gigs in the UK.

When booking began yesterday morning the band had announced just two shows on 29 and 30 June, with 150,000 tickets disappearing in 14 minutes. The clamour prompted a further date to be added.

The band held a press conference earlier this week at which Brown and guitarist John Squire announced they had patched up their differences.

They had not spoken for many years, following Squire’s departure from the band in 1995.