Pupils from a Southampton school were entertained 20 years ago by a band conducting a national anti-drugs crusade.

Awesome, who once played support for former boy band East 17, used songs and humour at Hounsdown School to encourage children to shun illegal substances which could wreck their lives.

The four-man group donned whacky stage wear as they spent more than an hour entertaining 400 pupils at the school in Totton on February 2, 1998.

They began their performance by spelling out the serious message behind the laughs that accompanied their music and banter.

Lead singer Alex told the students: “We don’t take drugs because we’ve seen what it does to people’s lives, their families and their communities. Taking drugs isn’t good and it doesn’t work - it messes up your life.”

The school spokesman at the time said: “we have a drugs education programme at Hounsdown, but it’s always good to have something like this to complement what we’re already doing.”

Awesome also visited Oaklands Community School in Lordshill, Southampton.