A BAND has been forced to call off its first national tour after thieves snatched £1,000 worth of equipment.

Kidderminster group Weak 13 had its Peavey PA system, including two speakers and a head mixer, taken from a band member's car after returning from a gig.

Now the tour - due to include 15 dates over three weeks in July and August - has been put on hold for at least six months.

The six-piece band, whose members describe their sound as a "musical experiment", was to support Birmingham outfit Cruxsouth in cities including London, Manchester and Nottingham in a first foray outside the Midlands.

"It's a huge blow, but we'll recover from it," said singer Nick Townsend, of Radford Avenue, Kidderminster. "We're not going to let this stop us. We'll keep saving to get the equipment again - we don't want to let anyone down."

The theft took place outside the Kidderminster home of one of the band members in the early hours of Friday, May 31.

Weak 13 will continue to do gigs in and around Kidderminster with borrowed equipment but members have their hearts set on playing to wider audiences.

Mr Townsend, 26, added: "We care about this town but we've got to start playing around the country if we want to make it. We've got a lot of fans around the country who have heard of us through our website and we want to extend our fan base."

The band is playing this evening at 8.30pm at Ye Olde Seven Stars, Coventry Street.