Gary Lightbody misses home.

The Snow Patrol frontman has spent almost 20 years in the US in order to better his career and gain more opportunities for his band, but he insists he will be moving back to Northern Ireland, where he was born, more ''permanently'' in the near future.

He said: ''I do miss home terribly. I will be coming home more permanently at some point, but you have to strike when the iron is hot.''

Gary's homesickness became even more obvious to him when he returned back to Bangor in June to celebrate his 38th birthday with his parents Jack and Lynne, but he insists it is necessary to stay away.

He explained: ''It's something I wanted to do for a long time, but you have to be in LA to get a lot of work, which is why I've been there. It's nice to celebrate with them and it's Father's Day as well, so it's a double celebration.''

However, Gary's aim of moving back home may need to be delayed a little while longer as he recently announced that he and his fellow band mates - Jonny Quinn, Nathan Connolly, Paul Wilson and Johnny McDaid - will release their seventh album next year.

He said previously: ''There won't be a Snow Patrol record this year, it will be next year.''