AFTER raising hundreds of pounds for Comic Relief, Worcester's top band now has its sights set on Europe.

The surreal collective known as the George Cowley Experience is embarking on a European tour later this month.

The band has been stung into action following some heated exchanges on the Evening News letters page about attitudes to litter in Worcester and Germany.

The argument started last year when Dieter Schroeder, a German living in Northwick, complained about the litter in the city centre and said it would not happen in his home town of Trier.

He also dared to describe George Cowley, the Evening News' esteemed letter writer, as "pathetic".

As a result, the George Cowley Experience, led by Pete Unwin, is heading for Trier to see if the streets are as clean as Mr Schroeder claims.

On the way, they will be playing a series of gigs to see how well songs such as Hereford, Land of 1,000 Charity Shops and Throckmorton Blues travel.

New songs such as Chantilly Billy will also be given an airing in front of unsuspecting continental music fans.

The band will kick off the tour in Chantilly, near Paris, on Thursday, March 27, before playing two gigs in the German town of Trier on March 28 and 29.

It will then head for Amsterdam, before returning to England.

"We will be taking photos of the streets of Trier at 6am, to see if they are as clean as Dieter Schroeder claims," said Mr Unwin, the band's singer and guitarist.

The four main members of the group will negotiate the roads of Europe in a Toyota Corolla with a faulty fifth gear.

"Travel on the German autobahns will be at a sedate pace," said Mr Unwin.

The Experience released an album of their greatest hits to raise money for Comic Relief earlier this month. They have sold 50 copies already, and hope to sell at least 100 in total.

The band members are very excited about the forthcoming tour, having ventured no further afield than Shropshire in the past.

"We don't get out much," said Mr Unwin.