A FOLK-ROCK band which features a Bridport musician has released a box set of CDs and DVDs made as a 'farewell' to their fans.

The band Heron have been touring since 1967 but are finally calling it a day. Members include Bridport-based Steve Jones who plays keyboards.

As a celebration of Heron's 50 plus years and to mark their retirement from performing together, the collection, consisting of two films and four CDs, is being released.

The collection is titled 'After the Dawn - The Relaxx Years 1983-2005' and features a live concert at Bridport Arts Centre in 2005.

Conceived as the band’s likely farewell concert, and with the tongue-in-cheek title of 'the first finale', this gig drew fans from far and wide, including Scotland, the Midlands, a visiting couple from Germany and one fan who flew over especially from the USA.

Mr Jones said: "The box set really feels like a good way to sign off the band and say farewell – it ties off the end of our career quite nicely.

"A farewell gig isn't really on the cards given the current situation and we're also a bit too far away from each other now and possibly even a bit too old to carry on touring.

"I think we were the first band to play at the Lyric Theatre after it was taken over by Niki McCretton so we have some history here."

Heron's most enduring fan base, however, is in Japan and it is thanks to WaSaBi Records of Tokyo that this Japanese-released box set was created.

In preparation for their short tour of Japan in 2016 the band played the Lyric Theatre in Bridport.

The Japan tour ended up being the band's last hurrah as around this time Tony Pook, the band's lead singer, was found to be suffering from a terminal form of Alzheimer's disease.

Mr Pook sadly died in October, just before the release of 'After the Dawn'.

Mr Jones added: "Tony's death deeply affected the band.

"We've had a big following in Japan since the 1970s. We went there four years ago and it turned out to be the last show we ever did. Tony was obviously ill and I also suffered from a heart attack and we all live in different places now - life changes.

"It was excellent to be able to play that last tour in Japan."

Mr Jones has recently formed a new band named 'Magdalena and the Mystical Birds' which performed at the Roped In concert at the Millennium Green in September.

The 'After the Dawn' CD and DVD box set is available for order at www.relaxx.co.uk