TELEPHONE lines went into meltdown at Smithills School after more than 1,000 people tried to get tickets to see the Regimental band of the Queen's Coldstream Guards.

The prestigious band is exchanging its usual haunt outside Buckingham Palace for the Bolton school on Saturday when it will perform a special one-off show. Chris Wormald, Smithills director of arts, said the school's phone network was jammed with calls from people wanting to buy the 350 available tickets.

The tickets were snapped up within 40 minutes, although more than 1,200 calls were made within two hours.

Mr Wormald said: "We have 10 phone lines and they all became jammed with people desperate to get tickets."

The band of Her Majesty the Queen's Coldstream Guards does not normally perform outside London and their appearance is a major coup for the school.

The Coldstream band was eager to perform at Smithills because of the international reputation of the school's brass band, which has won many international championships and toured extensively around Europe.

Because of the interest in the performance, the band will be returning as guests of Smithills School once again in the spring, with either the much larger Albert Halls or Victoria Hall being approached to host the second concert. Earlier this year, the Coldstream Guards played at the Trooping of the Colour near Buckingham Palace. The full band has 50 musicians and has performed across the world.