Editors frontman Tom Smith has described being invited to support R.E.M as a dream come true.

The band are due to support the American band at a number of separate tour and festival dates this summer.

Speaking to BBC 6Music, Smith said that the group were “on my wall growing up”.

“We met Peter Buck. He came to see us in Seattle a while ago. Lovely guy. He brought his kids,” Smith explained.

“It was at an in-store we were doing at a cool kind of record shop called Easy Street Records and his children can’t get into normal shows in America.

“So he came down to the in-store because they can come and see rock music – and he was lovely.

“Everyone I know that has met them and been part of their kind of camp and been on tour with them, has said they are all lovely.”

(by Jason Gregory)