THIS Bournemouth-based party band has become the first in the UK to be carbon neutral.

The Audio Allstars, previously voted as the UK's "Best Wedding Band", have taken the step to become carbon neutral and have been awarded the Certification for Offsetting Carbon Footprint.

While major bands like Coldplay and Massive Attack have stopped touring to reduce their carbon footprint, for The Audio Allstars staying home is not an option, and taking instruments and stage equipment with them to gigs is unavoidable.

But the band wondered if there was a way to continue travelling to gigs, while also reducing their carbon footprint to help the planet.

Front man for the band, Gavin Munn, said: "We have to take our instruments and stage equipment, it’s unavoidable, but we wondered if there was a way to travel all these miles and also reduce our carbon footprint and help the planet?

“Carbon Offsetting was the answer, to reduce an equivalent carbon amount for whatever we produce. With the help of carbonfootprint.com, QAS-approved experts in this, we calculated our yearly carbon emissions from our travel to every single gig or rehearsal, how much electricity we use on stage, even how much energy is needed to run our website and social media! We then support various projects worldwide that reduce carbon emissions by a similar amount. It makes it a zero sum and our band carbon-neutral.

"Now people can book us knowing they’re also helping reducing the carbon footprint of their event! Surprisingly we can’t find any other fully carbon-neutral party bands in the UK, we believe we’re the first! I’m sure many others will follow because it’s a great idea, a simple way to help sustain our planet and who doesn’t want to do that?”