A SOUTH Cumbrian indie band have realised a lifetime's ambition - before they've even played their first gig.

Talented music pupils who formed Pesky while still at Croftlands Junior School were amazed to hear BBC Radio 1 DJs playing and discussing their debut single.

This week, the seven-piece outfit - all aged 11 and 12 when the songs were recorded - release their first ever EP, Smells Like Tween Spirit , with the praise of acclaimed presenters Huw Stephens and Steve Lamacq still ringing in their ears.

Megan Cooper, who sings on Keep Me , which was aired on Radio 1 earlier this month, said: "I missed it but everyone who heard it said it sounded good. I feel very proud and I’m shell-shocked.

"At first it was just an after-school club. I never expected it to expand like it has."

Far from being a gimmick, critics have praised the maturity of their songwriting, with a number of blogs and fanzines naming their single "track of the week".

Croftlands Year Five and Six teacher Simon Cross contacted renowned record label Fierce Panda - a former home of Coldplay and Placebo - who included the song on their anniversary compilation, and the interest in the band has snowballed from there.

"It was brilliant that the record label were interested in the first place, but the response has been incredible," he said.

"Blogs all over the world are talking about it, and everybody seems to love it.

"They were asked to play at a festival, but they'll have to put in some serious rehearsals if they want to play live. It looks like that's the next step."

The line-up is completed by Jessica Webster, Patsy Gillam, Kate Stamp, Niamh Angell, Harry Angell, and Joseph Jackson, and the group have managed to stay together despite a number of them making the move up to Ulverston Victoria High School last year.

Harry said: "I only thought it'd be heard at school and not anywhere else - it's weird that they are talking about me on the radio."

Kate added: "We want to write more songs and become bigger. My next goal is to be on the Chris Evans breakfast show on Radio 2."

Smells Like Tween Spirit, by Pesky, is released on Friday and available to pre-order from iTunes.