A REFORMED eighties-style heavy metal band have won a contest to support rock legend Neil Young at Hyde Park at the weekend.

The Original Sinners will be first on the bill at the mega-gig on Saturday after coming first in a radio station poll.

And the middle-aged rockers will also have a single – to be recorded this week – released by music giant EMI, raising hopes of belated rock stardom.

The five recently reformed after splitting in 1994. They formed in 1987 and released one self-funded album.

Dan Turner, 40, one of two lead guitarists, said: “It is immense, it will be 40,000 people. It is the biggest gig you could ever imagine.

“Even if any of us got famous you would struggle to get an audience as big. It is huge.”

To listen to an mp3 of "Don't Need A Doctor" by the band, click here..

They beat punk-era Jeep and Proteen in the Absolute Radio challenge. The Pretenders and Fleet Foxes are also on the bill.

Bruce Springsteen and The Killers play the other two nights as part of the Hyde Park Calling event.

Dan, a techincal support manager for a science firm, said: “We felt we were the right band to go out to an audience that size.”

The music scene “seems to have come back to us”, he said.

The band split because their style was like “flogging a dead horse” as “negative” grunge music took over, he added.

Dan, of Totteridge Road, High Wycombe, said: “I think music has got back to going out and forgetting your day job. It is escapism.”

A week of rock-star style living now awaits them.

They will write their debut single today and tomorrow, when they play a warm-up show at the Hard Rock Café in London.

The next day they record their single at Abbey Road studios with bassist Guy Pratt and keyboard player Henry Priestman, who have worked with Pink Floyd and Echo and the Bunnymen.

With hopes of a two-album deal from EMI, Dan says he is “keeping my feet on the ground”.

He said: “It is immense the kind of interest we have had. The people seem to like what we do.”

Other members are: vocalist Pete Stevens, 51, of Amersham, guitarist Mark Lague, 46, of Chesham, drummer Dave Axford, 37, of High Wycombe and new recruit, bassist Allan Burls, 29, from Great Missenden.

The Original Sinners will play the slightly smaller Nag’s Head in London Road, High Wycombe on August 14.