FIVE-PIECE rock outfit Ocean 8, formerly Casini, took the Black Bull at Horwich by storm when they performed to an enthusiastic audience.

Frontman Neil got a taste of stardom when he was nearly mobbed by the excited fans and had to be escorted out of the building.

The name might be new but the band certainly aren't. The creation of lead singer Neil Ward, the band hit the headlines a few years ago when they won a Lottery grant of £13,000 and reached the semi-finals of the Greater Manchester Unsigned 2000 competition, beating hundreds of bands from around the North-west. Now the five-piece look set to build on their popularity with a funky new name and a renewed sense of purpose which, if their recent gigs are anything to go by, is certainly paying off.

The landlords of the Black Bull, Peter and Denise Whitehead, were bowled over by the response to the band, commenting "We've never witnessed anything like this in our lives."

Eager fans will be able to catch Ocean 8 performing at the Black Bull on the first Friday of every month, with a gig at the famous Liverpool Cavern club planned for June 14.

It seems this is one rock band which will be far more than just a drop in the ocean.