A PUNK band from Melksham have hit the big time by winning a competition in the world's biggest selling rock magazine.

Buzztone have won the right to tour with nationally renowned Ska Punk band Farse after winning a competition in rock weekly Kerrang!

The group, made up of brothers Simon and Matthew Hall, Justin Haggett and Simon Doust, will perform at six of Farse's tour dates in venues at Milton Keynes, Northampton, Cambridge and Boston.

Simon Hall, 26, said the band members were "over-the-moon" at the national recognition and were amazed at being featured in a magazine alongside famous acts.

He said: "We started off in a garage in Kenilworth. I thought it was a wind-up at first. Beating all those other bands across the country was an amazing feeling.

"These will be bigger venues then we are used to playing it will be so different from playing to one man and his dog in The Parson's Nose.

"Being in Kerrang! with the other bands was mad. We were on a page with Britney and Marilyn Manson was on the cover."

Buzztone formed in 1998 when Mr Hall was bar manager at The West End pub in Melksham and recorded their first demo CD at George Ward School.

Their first paid gig came a year later at The Parson's Nose. Despite changing personnel twice, band members continued to bombard promoters and record labels to get recognised.

Mr Hall said when they sent their CD off to Kerrang! they never believed it would result in success.

He said: "This has given us a great platform. Who knows what will happen."

As well as the six nationwide gigs during March and April, the band is keeping true to their roots with forthcoming gigs in aid of Melksham skatepark and at Corsham School already pencilled in.