Anarchic pop group, who drenched former deputy PM, decide to split

Anarchist punk-pop band Chumbawamba – renowned for soaking Lord Prescott at the Brit Awards – are to split after three decades.

The group, which scored their first chart hit 15 years into their career with Tubthumping in 1997, said they were calling time on “30 years of being snotty, eclectic, funny, contrary and just plain weird”.

Announcing the end of the band on their website, a statement said: “What a riot it’s been.”

Formed in Leeds, but with their roots in Burnley, the group have been through various line-up changes over the years and included Alice Nutter who went on to become a scriptwriter for TV series such as The Streets, Moving On and The Accused.

They released confrontational early albums such as Pictures of Starving Children Sell Records and Never Mind The Ballots, but their biggest success came with Tubthumping which reached No2 in the charts after signing to EMI, a label of which they had been critical.

It led to Chumbawamba being invited to perform at the Brits the following year, but the group hit the headlines when cross-dressing member Danbert Nobacon threw a bucket of water over the then deputy prime minister.

They scored a further top 10 hit with Amnesia, but failed to repeat their early success, assuming a much lower profile as they continued to perform together.

The band have announced that they plan to perform one final concert before the end of the year.