DAVE, Dylan and Des might be a folk group, but they don't mind a bit of Saw Doctors or Pogues.

In fact, Dave is even thinking of adding Oasis or a bit of Blur to their repertoire which now covers some 400 songs.

"I keep in touch with the music scene through my six children" said Dave Higginson, a Blackburn veterinary surgeon, who with Des and Dylan is Moorland Folk, a popular band which has audiences rocking in pubs throughout East Lancashire.

And now the trio are working on their first CD to be released in June.

Moorland Folk were born in the 1970s "over home brew and a few guitars," said Dave.

Then the original line up was Dave, Des Powel, and John Clarke. John lived at Moorland Rise, so hence the name of the band.

He left in 1990 to be replaced by Dylan Owen, who is the head of support services in a special school.

"Our aim is not to let the band take over our lives, it is purely for relaxation," explained Dave, who originally modelled the trio on the Five Penny Piece.

"We only play mid-week and never on Saturdays so we can be with our families. We usually play pubs but we like doing concerts too," said Dave, 48, who is lead singer and guitarist.

Des, from Rishton, a personnel officer at the University of Central Lancashire, is electric bass, while Dylan from Oswaldtwistle, plays a mean guitar and banjo as well as writing very funny songs.

"When we started we had about 15 songs. Now we have about 400. I must admit I cheat and have the words on the stage with me," added Dave. Their songs include everything from the Dubliners to the Corries and everything else in between.

The trio have been at the Shammrock Studios at Osbaldeston, busy working on their first CD.

"We are really producing it so we will have something for our families. It is going very well, we are pleased with the result," said Dave.

"The band has kept me sane over the years. If I go out in the evening, tired after a hard day, once I have played with the band, I am as high as a kite by midnight."

Meanwhile, he is keeping in touch with his youngsters, including one of them at university.

"We swap tapes and I keep asking them what I need to know about the music scene," he added.

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