A TEENAGE rock band whose take-off of a Metallica hit went viral on YouTube had the shock of their lives this week when they were told they are to meet their heroes at the Reading Festival.

The Mini Band - also known as TMB - will also play their own set on the Radio 1 Pit Stage on Saturday.

The group of musicians from Thatcham, aged 12 to 14, first shot to fame in 2011 with their rendition of Metallica's 1991 hit Enter Sandman.

Members of Metallica - who are headlining the festival on Saturday - caught a glimpse of the footage on the internet and were so impressed that they made their own video of themselves headbanging to the song.

The teen rockers, who began their musical odyssey at the Lets Play Rock School in Newbury, exchanged a number of playful videos with the supergroup but were shocked when Metallica asked to meet them this weekend.

Leo Westby, 51, director of the rock school, said: "After a few fun and cheeky videos we got an email from their manager saying they would like to meet the band. They are so excited, they have been blown away. I think they're a bit stunned by it, they can't wait to meet the guys."

However he added that they had no idea they would be playing a 25-minute set on the Radio 1 stage, as this was due to be revealed to them during an interview with BBC South last night.

He said: "The guys have absolutely no idea, they just think they are going to do an interview. We have had to be quite sneaky, asking them to work on their set but they don't know why."