An award winning youth marching band are on their way to perform at the prestigious St Petersburg after being given an invite by the Russian Embassy.

The Royal British Legion Band and Corps of Drums Romford are set to perform at St Petersburg next week as part of a four day trip costing �70,000 organised by the Russian Embassy.

Band Secretary Ian Yeoman said: “We are all really over the moon and it is definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity, we always perform in France and Germany but have never gone as far as Russia and St Petersburgh is very prestigious and it is where a lot of movies have been filmed.”

Sixty musicians ranging from ages 10 to 16 are set to fly out to Russia on Friday where they will be put up in a first class hotel with all the expenses paid for by the Russian Embassy.

The trip will also see the band performing at St Petersburgh and the Alexander Concert Hall in front of Olympic rower Sir Steven Redgrave as part of the Royal Regatta rowing event.

Ian said: “We have performed at lots of places over the years but this is definitely the most prestigious and it is something that we are all looking forward to.”

The group received a phone call just three weeks ago from the British Embassy on behalf of the Russian Embassy inviting them to the event.

The band is believed to have been specially invited by the Russian Embassy following a recommendation by someone from the British Army.

Since then the group have been busy organising the final details of the trip including their visas.

Ian said: “I was amazed when we got the phone call because I just thought that it was a wind up but its only when the invite came through that we knew it wasn’t a joke.

“But we still really do not know how the Russian Embassy in Russia came to know about us.”