Neil Harrison, David Catlin-Birch, Andre Barreau and Hugo Degenhardt may form one of Great Britain's biggest bands, but I'm guessing you couldn't tell me which one.

They are the Bootleg Beatles, who this year celebrate their 30th anniversary of touring the world as the leading covers band to the fab four.

Despite their success though, they enjoy relative anonymity as, once the costumes, wigs and facial hair are stripped off, they look very different to John, George, Paul and Ringo.

"We all look very much like them in the show and that is quite important to it," explains Neil, who is John Lennon on stage.

"But sometimes I have been in the bar after a gig and no one has recognised me.

"Once the wigs, facial hair and costumes are off we tend to look quite different and it's a great thing having anonymity.

"I was reading an article with Harrison Ford the other day and he was saying nobody realises what it is like to be a star.

"You get the money but there is nothing else good about it at all, it completely steals your privacy.

"I must be horrible to live in a bubble like that where everything you do, say or wear is analysed and I would hate that."

The band formed after appearing in West End production, Beatlemania, together, and deciding they enjoyed the show so much they wanted to continue it when its run came to an end, starting off at a small student gathering in Tiverton, Devon.

From there though they have gone on to play at venues all around the world from the Royal Albert Hall to the Budokan Stadium in Tokyo and even performed in front of George Harrison at Dave Gilmore’s 50th birthday party.

"It has just sort of rolled on," says Neil.

"We thought it would last a year and then a couple of years and then we just kept getting asked to do more and more and here we are.

"Everybody tried to do their own thing in their spare time but nothing ever really materialised that would take over from this and it became our proper job.

"It's quite difficult to give up because it has become the main thing in our lives, I don't know what else I would do."

Bootleg Beatles, Fairfield Halls, Park Lane, March 6, 8pm, £22.50. Call 020 8688 9291 or visit fairfield.co.uk.