The former band mates of a local singer who died in June are hosting a memorial gig in his memory this weekend.

John Green, who died in June, was a well-known local musician from Wootton Bassett. He was the frontman of the Swindon cover band Vice Versa, as well as The Police tribute band, The Secret Police.

"Because he went suddenly, we didn’t have a chance to say goodbye," said Pete Morse, former bandmate and bassist in Vice Versa.

"Not everyone who knew John was able to go to the funeral to pay their respects, so this is a fitting way to let people say a personal goodbye and celebrate his life in music," he added.

"When John went it really devastated us as a band. It was totally out of the blue," said Pete.

Vice Versa was together for six years, playing a range of covers from the the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Other band members included Dan Hurley who played guitar and Dean Adams on drums.

Pete added: "John's left a big whole in the music scene in Swindon.

"He was very talented and the band used to get a lot of gigs. He was a great frontman who really entertained the crowd."

Held at The Victoria in Old Town, the free event will have a collection for The National Suicide Prevention Alliance.

A range of guest artists from Swindon's music scene will be playing alongside Vice Versa, including Alan Mills from Penfold and Tiff Townsend from Toxic.

"We wanted people who knew John," said Pete. "We wanted an association with him from them. We tried to get singers in who knew him so there was that connection with John."

The event promises to be a large one with roughly 200 people on Facebook interested in going.

Pete added: "It means a lot that we can have this final farewell to John in music.

"It was how he lived his life, totally dedicated to music. He was music all the way through.

"This will be are our last performance of Vice Versa, we’re not going to carry on without him," he added.

"So it will be an emotional day. Hopefully people will have a good time, that’s want we want, for people to come a long have a good time and go home with a feeling that they may have helped change things and helped stop this from happening again.

"And hopefully John will be looking down and having a little smile," added Pete.

The John Green Memorial Gig will be held on September 1 16.00-20.30.