MEMBERS of the elite Gurkha regiment swopped war-torn Afghanistan for Swindon for a concert at the Wyvern Theatre.

Before their performance they shared a curry with the Swindon Male Voice Choir at the Jewel in the Crown, Victoria Road.

This is the third time that the members of the highly respected Brigade of Gurkhas band, drawn from Nepalese volunteers, have played with the choir since forging links after meeting during a concert in Salisbury. But it is their first visit to the town.

The concert was a sell out with £2,000 of the proceeds being donated to the St John Ambulance Brigade and £1,500 going to the Gurkha Benevolent Fund.

The regiment members, who are based in Folkestone, have just returned from Afghanistan where they played before a Kabul United versus security forces match.

Choir member Gareth Jenkins said: "We had a superb time. When we have other guests, we take them to the police canteen for fish and chips. But where do you take 34-Gurkhas?"