EAT your heart out The Rolling Stones. A band whose existence stretches back nearly 50 years will perform its 500th concert next month.

The Bidford Band will perform their landmark concert at the Crawford Memorial Hall on December 1, and the concert is already sold out.

The band, which formed to revive morris dances in the village, has been going for 46 years and little has changed since they first started in 1955 as the Bidford-on-Avon Square Dance Band.

In the past, they have provided music for BBC radio programmes, such as The Dancing English and Home Spun.

Leader Philip Taylor, who plays piano accordion and has been with the band since the 1960s, said: "The primary concern of The Bidford Band has always been to provide good music for dancing to, the rhythm and tempo being the most important elements."

The line-up is completed by John Masterson on the fiddle, drummer Hugh Vaudin, rhythm guitarist David Reeves and Tony Critchley on bass guitar.

Mr Taylor added: "It's rather amazing that it's got this far. The gigs have just kept happening every month and we're really looking forward to playing our 500th.

"The people aren't just local either, we get them from as far afield as Yorkshire and Devon."

A souvenir CD entitled Bidford Roundabout has been released to mark their 500th performance.

It costs £10 plus £1 p&p and can be obtained from Philip Taylor on 01789 268301.