MELKSHAM-based band Nishe have been crowned Wiltshire's Band of the Year 2003 after winning the Wiltshire Battle of the Bands contest.

Nishe were one of six acts battling it out in a final they only reached by default.

After the original voting phase online, Nishe actually came seventh, just missing out on a place in the final but the drummer from one of the final six bands, Mecca, broke his wrist and so they had to pull out.

The final was held at The Furnace nightclub in Swindon on Thursday evening and the judging panel comprised of session musician and Swindon Guitar School owner Howard Tucker, who has played with Ozzy Osbourne and Gary Moore, Swindon Evening Advertiser music journalist Flicky Harrison, BBC Radio Swindon presenter Dan Chisholm and Mark Smallman aka 'Mick Jogger' from one of the UK's leading tribute bands The Rollin' Clones. The compere for the evening was Kelly Stooke from BBC Radio Wiltshire.

Nishe, who formed in January 2000 and were runners-up in last year's contest, are Trigger, 22, on vocals, John Colombi, 20, on guitar and vocals, Slim, 20, on bass and vocals, Leon Hartrey, 20, on drums and Bean, 20, on guitar.

"We really can't believe it," said Trigger. "Usually we are used to hearing "...and the runner-up is Nishe" and so we couldn't believe it when we were announced as winners."

The other finalists were Any Day Now from Cricklade, Broken Daylight from Swindon, Buzztone from Swindon, Korea from Trowbridge and Jahsoma from Swindon.

This is only the second year that the competition has taken place but it is fast becoming one of the biggest annual events of its kind in the county.

Nishe were the sixth and final act of the night and gave a really memorable performance.

They were armed with new songs from last year and have taken a more melodic direction, reminiscent of Placebo and Hundred Reasons.

Nishe won £500 of musical equipment supplied by Swindon's John Holmes music shop and the runners-up were each given a John Holmes goodie bag containing guitar strings, drum sticks, plectrums and other freebies.

The winners won't be sitting back and relaxing after their victory though, as they start a national tour with another local band Lightside.

Entitled the 24/7 tour, the bands kick off at The Black Swan, Trowbridge on Thursday night and then they go on to play venues in Cardiff, Swindon, Moles Club in Bath, Southampton, Brighton, Doncaster, Leeds, Derby, Leicester, Norwich, Bristol and finishing up at the Parson's Nose in Melksham on August 7.

The bands hope the tour will raise their profile and promote their new albums, as well as showing the rest of the country what a great music scene there is in west Wiltshire.

"We honestly feel that the local scene is getting really good and we want to show other towns what this area has to offer," said Nishe's John Colombi.

Band member Trigger added: "This tour is going to be so much fun. Nine guys, two vans and a gig nearly every night."