THEIR lips felt like rubber and their feet were so blistered they had to walk home barefoot.

But members of East Lancashire community band Blowjangles could not have cared less because they had smashed the world record for the number of gigs played in 12 hours.

The band of saxophonists, who come from across the region, travelled to Dublin to attempt to beat the world record of playing 25 gigs in 12 hours.

The 12-strong group, which plays jazz, blues and reggae, planned on playing 30 gigs.

But after 28 they collapsed in the bar and toasted their success with pints of Guinness.

Hero of the weekend was the band's youngest member, 12-year-old Melanie Smith, who did not complain once while the rest of the band were moaning about sore feet and lips.

Now they will send evidence of their marathon effort to Guinness to claim their place in the record books. Player and trip organiser Bernard West, 52, of Park Lee Road, Blackburn, said it had been a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

He said: "We started off at 11am on Saturday morning. By about 6pm we were more or less on our knees. At the last venue after we'd played the gig we just collapsed and stayed there drinking Guinness until we all got stupid.

"The reaction we got from the people in Dublin was fantastic.

"We were quite a spectacle dressed in bright red and yellow zoot suits and some people followed us from bar to bar.

"Each gig must last 15 minutes for the record, so we only had minutes between each gig to get there, set up and start playing.

"At the end our lips were like rubber and there were a few injuries including a bleeding tongue. My feet were so blistered I had to walk back to the hotel barefoot.

"I didn't care, though, because we'd done it. The feeling was fantastic."

A spokesman for Guinness said: "If the evidence from Blowjangles is verified we think it is excellent news. We always welcome new record breakers."

The marathon event raised £2,000 for Temple Street Children's hospital in Dublin and Yorkshire Children's Hospice.

Blowjangles rehearses every Tuesday night at the Action Factory in Pearson Street, Blackburn.

For more information log on to www.blowjangles.co.uk