POLICE have met management of a Darwen club after it was announced a controversial Celtic band was to play a gig.

Charlie and the Bhoys - whose repertoire consists of Irish Republican anthems and songs about Celtic FC - is booked in to play at the Highfield Club in Ratcliffe Street on Saturday, February 5.

Earlier this month South Lanarkshire Council announced that it had cancelled a gig by the band at a council-run civic centre for St Patrick’s Day, over public safety fears.

But the band insist the rumours they are pro-IRA and encourage trouble are false and are being maliciously spread by rival Rangers FC fans.

Police said managers at Highfield were in talks with overs over the management of the gig.

But Jimmy Grease, vocalist, guitarist and banjo player of the band, said: “We are a Celtic band and there are many Celtic fans living in the Darwen area but the Rangers fans from around the UK always try to have our concerts stopped.

“They falsely claim we are an IRA-supporting band but if you visit our web site you will see this is not the case.

“We have been a full time professional band on the road for 22 years.

"We have played on every continent in the world and we have never in 22 years had any trouble at any gig or venue.”

Sergeant Mark Wilson of Darwen’s Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “We are aware that the band is due to play at the Highfield and there have been meetings between senior management about it.

“We are looking at the situation.”

The secretary of Highfield Working Men’s Club has defended a decision to allow the band to play there.

Lynne Baron, of the Highfield, said: “I’ve seen them play twice, because I wanted to know what I was booking and there’s been no trouble at all.

"They were brilliant.”