MUSIC by rock group New Model Army is being loaned to a Leytonstone amateur dramatics group.

The music, written for a special reading of Wuthering Heights at The Radical Brontes Festival last month in Bradford, Yorkshire, will now accompany the Woodhouse Players' version of the classic Emily Bronte novel at the end of this month.

"It's pretty exciting for us," said director Sacha Walker.

"We have members from six to 60 but everyone in their 20s and 30s has heard of New Model Army. It's just brilliant."

The band have been playing for a quarter or a century and are known for their outspoken political views, which have resulted in their being refused entry to the US three times and famously saw them appear on Top of the Pops wearing t-shirts saying: Only Stupid Bastards Use Heroin.

Justin Sullivan, New Model Army frontman and longest serving original member, wrote the music to accompany readings by the Brontes festival's artistic director, Joolz Denby, a poet, novelist, artist and also Mr Sullivan's partner.

The music made its way down the M1 after Wuthering Heights' Ms Walker met Mr Sullivan at a music industry party, and they got talking about their forthcoming Bronte projects. "I've been a New Model Army fan for a long time. I asked Justin if we could borrow the music and he agreed. It's fantastic timing, it's spooky really," she said.

The production, adapted for stage by Charles Vance, tells the whole story covered in the novel, rather than just focusing on the relationship between Catherine and Heathcliff.

Ms Walker, 37, of Vicarage Road, Leyton, added: "I just love the book. It's very, very dark. Everybody thinks it's a lovely love story and when you read it you realise that it's a lot darker and more complicated than that."

This is her first attempt at directing by herself, although she previously co-directed an adaption of Terry Pratchett's Wyrd Sisters for the Woodhouse Players.

"I've bitten off quite a big chunk but I'm really excited about it," she added.

Wuthering Heights runs at the Welsh Church Hall, Leytonstone High Road, from October 26 to 28 at 8pm, with a matinee on October 28 at 3pm.

Tickets are £6 (adults) and £3 (conc), available from 8504 3874.