STORIES of Lowestoft's fishing past and an ode to the beauty of Corton could grace a big London stage next month (July) as a local band make the biggest performance of their lives.

STORIES of Lowestoft's fishing past and an ode to the beauty of Corton could grace a big London stage next month (July) as a local band make the biggest performance of their lives.

Crumbs For Comfort will be performing at the IndigO2 for the final of a national music competition, and at the heart of their success is a local songwriting focus.

The seven-piece indie folk-rock band have written songs about Corton's open fields and the Geldeston Locks, but in the area final of Live and Unsigned it was their song Lowestoft Bay that wowed the judging panel, with Sony UK's Sophie Daniels comparing them to popular folk band Mumford & Sons.

The song has also achieved great praise from local music experts, with Sue Marchant of BBC Cambridge and Nick Risby of BBC Suffolk both praising their song.

It was written by singer and guitarist Alex Brown, after his bandmate Ben Chenery suggested he wrote a song about Lowestoft's fishing industry.

'It was fascinating to read about just how much of an influence the industry was on the whole area; how large the fleet was at the turn of the last century, the travelling Scotswomen and the loss of a lot of old trawler boats to the Netherlands,' said Alex.

'In the end, the lyrics took about three days of doing nothing but solid research and scribbling - by far the most work I've had to put into a song and easily the most difficult to write.'

Now the band hopes to give something back to the local community by promoting the industry's plight.

'It's a massive shame when classic industries like this fade away. We have to support the fisherman that are still working as much as we can. The last thing we want is for such a magnificent industry to completely die out - it would be a massive loss for Lowestoft and the rest of East Anglia, both financially and culturally,' Alex said.

The final of Live and Unsigned takes place on Saturday, July 10, but before this the band has a lot to look forward to with the release of their first EP and DVD.

The Hemmingway Net store sessions EP and Live Crumbs for Comfort DVD will be released at the Ten Bells in Norwich on July 3.

For more details on the band visit www.facebook.com/CrumbsForComfort

Lowestoft Bay

Rolling Hills means nothing to us.

The Sea is where we belong

Its brine not blood, that runs through our veins

By Lowestoft bay we were born

There's been a port here

For hundreds of years

And as we leave the harbour

We will remember a better time

On autumn waves we sailed out with

A fleet of a thousand boats strong

For many days we'd go to sea

For the "Silver Darlings" we would trawl

Then on landing the catch we'd send it all on

To the Scots women down in the stores

And the Triangle Tavern

Is where we spent all of our best times

Chorus

We could see them leaving this old port

Trawlers and drifters are leaving here

Coming to Lowestoft Bay no more (x2)

There are rules to obey, when we catch too much

We must throw the dead back overboard

And as we head for home will lament

A fleet leaving for Holland shores

So come all ye longliners, man your boats

And bate those lines once again

And for the lives that were lost

St Margret's is where we'll remember.

Chorus

We could see them leaving this old port

Trawlers and drifters are leaving here

Coming to Lowestoft Bay no more (x2)

We will stay here and we'll carry on

Getting ready to set sail again

Mariners we are forever more

We could see them leaving from the shore

Trawlers and drifters are leaving here

Coming to Lowestoft bay no more