A PROGRESSIVE award-winning rock band based in Bournemouth is releasing a charity Christmas single in aid of a local homeless charity called Night Stop.

Big Big Train formed in Bournemouth in 1990 and bagged number one in the official UK rock charts earlier this year and also reached 45 in the overall UK album charts.

The current line-up consists of Nick D’Virgilio, Dave Gregory, Rachel Hall, David Longdon, Danny Manners, Andy Poole, Rikard Sjöblom and Gregory Spawton.

Now the band is set to release a festive new song called Merry Christmas, which will be released on Friday, December 8 on seven-inch snow white vinyl.

The artwork for Merry Christmas has been painted by British artist Sarah Louise Ewing and will also feature on a new range of Christmas cards.

A donation to the Night Stop homelessness charity based in Ringwood will be made for every copy of the vinyl, CD, download and Christmas card sold.

Big Big Train vocalist David Longdon says: “Merry Christmas is a song about rediscovering our childlike belief in the magic of Christmas, despite living in an over commercial and sometimes cynical world.

“After all, what wouldn’t you give to believe again, like you believed back then?”

Bass player Greg Spawton added: “We wanted Merry Christmas to be a proper Christmas song. Christmas music needs a choir, a brass band and, of course, sleigh bells.”

The promotional film for Merry Christmas features actor Mark Benton and will premiere on December 1.

Merry Christmas is available to pre-order now from the band’s official stores burningshed.com/store/bigbigtrain/ (for vinyl and CD pre-orders).

Merry Christmas is also available to pre-order from Amazon, HMV and other good online and high-street record stores.