LEGENDARY Hertfordshire band The Zombies, featuring Hatfield singer Colin Blunstone, are to be honoured with a commemorative blue plaque on the wall of a St Albans pub.

The plaque outside The Blacksmith’s Arms will be unveiled at 2pm tomorrow (Friday), to commemorate all five original members of the band who first met there in April 1961 – more than half a century ago.

Original band members Rod Argent and Blunstone will be there, and Hugh Grundy and Chris White, also from the 60s line-up, are hoping to join them.

The plaque has come about through the hard work of Zombies super fan Tony Dawson-Hill.

He said: “I am a huge fan of The Zombies and have been ever since I first saw them live in ‘63/’64 at the Ballito Stocking Factory in St Albans.

“The idea for the blue plaque came about because Rod Argent always tells the story of how all five original members of the band first met outside The Blacksmith’s Arms pub in St Albans.

“My wife Gill suggested it would be a good idea to commemorate this momentous occasion with a blue plaque.”

Mr Dawson-Hill approached the Stonegate Pub Company, the leaseholders of the Blacksmith’s Arms.

The chairman of Stonegate Pub Company kindly agreed to pay for the plaque and the installation of it on the side of the Blacksmith’s Arms.

The Zombies, helmed by founding members Blunstone on vocals and Argent on keyboards and piano, marked the group’s half century last year with a new album, Breathe Out, Breathe In.

Most famous for debut single She’s Not There and 1968 psychedelic masterpiece Odessey and Oracle, The Zombies will play the Hertford Corn Exchange on May 18.