POP band The Rubbish will play the biggest show of their careers when they support Status Quo tomorrow night.

The Pendle group will open the show in front of a sellout 12,000 crowd, at London's Wembley Arena.

As the only support of the evening, the ambitious five-piece made up of Bruce Thomas, Barney Williams, Nick Hudson and Chris Precious, from Nelson, and Chris Hartley, from Colne, will get 30 minutes to make their mark.

The break was the prize in a competition run by Capital Radio for unsigned bands. The group's self-financed debut album "Crazy Farmers" was entered by their new management company Foxhat promotions.

Bruce said: "It's a dream chance for us. We're hoping someone will see us and something really positive will come from the opportunity.

"The lads are all buzzing. We are at Nelson's Good Night Club on Friday night and straight after the show we'll pack the van for London."

The catchy tunes of The Rubbish have been winning them celebrity friends throughout the year. Both Granada weatherman Fred Talbot and cult comic Frank Sidebottom have guested on their videos.

In the summer, Radio One DJ Chris Moyles joked about the name before his colleague gave national airplay to the track "It's a Lovely Day".

The hard working band are currently appearing in adverts in the national press for the Kensington Mortgage Company. The firm is using a picture of Bruce, singing during Burnley's Bands in the Park event.

Although the Wembley date is sold out, local fans can catch the group at 8pm at the Good Night Club, with tickets £3.50 on the door.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.