Imagine if half of Abba came from Luton, or if The Beatles consisted of John, Paul, Sven and Olaf, and you'll come close to what it feels like to be part of Anglo-Swedish combo Swap.

In fact, the band's name is highly appropriate because swapping countries and cultures is what its three Swedish-based members and one English-based one do with disorientating regularity.

Karen Tweed, who plays accordion in the band, gets the best of both worlds.

She lives in England but visits Sweden every few weeks to rehearse with other band members.

"Sweden has a fantastic landscape, lush forests, beautiful blue skies and massive lakes.

"I went there at Christmas and was skating on one of the lakes.

"The snow at Christmas is very beautiful there and stays like that - it doesn't turn to slush like in England."

Aside from Karen, Swap consists of Ian Carr on guitar, and Swedes Ola Backstrom on violin and Carina Normansson on violin and vocals.

Ian, Ola and Carina all live in Sweden, as does Karen's boyfriend, so it gives plenty of reason to sample Scandinavian life.

The group, who describe their music as a cross between Swedish, Irish and English, first came about in 1995.

Karen recalls rehearsing for a few days in England then for a few days in Sweden when they first formed.

"Sweden seems more relaxed because it's so manic over here," she says.

"There's a big pop scene there and folk music is very popular, even among the under-30s."

Karen, who spent her childhood in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, has been playing the accordion for 29 years.

"A man called Joe Coll came to teach accordion in Wellingborough when I was 11," she says.

"My sister started lessons and came home one Saturday morning with an accordion.

"I thought 'corr!' when I saw it and I've carried on playing ever since."

Although not from a musical family, her great-uncle and grandmother both played the fiddle.

She says the accordion is an easy instrument to learn but you have to be a very good player to get a professional sound.

"It's rather like the tin whistle in that respect," she says.

"It's a fantastic instrument because it's portable."

Swap perform traditional material which is often blended with

self-penned compositions.

"We all write our own compositions and individually arrange them between the four of us," says Karen.

You can catch the band at Huntingdon Hall, CrownGate, Worcester, on Friday, April 11.

Tickets are £9, or £8 concessions.