Soldiers on £270k charity hit parade

SHOW time . . . The Soldiers rehearse for their tour with colleagues. Pictured (from the left) are L/Cpl Ryan Idzi, Sgt Richard Scarlett, Sgt-Maj Gary Chilton, Sgt Tyrone Basnight and Sgt Richie Maddocks

MILITARY music maestros The Soldiers have raised £270,000 for forces charities.

The talented trio of serving soldiers — Failsworth-born Sgt Richie Maddocks (38), L/Cpl Ryan Idzi and Sgt Major Gary Chiltern — raised the cash through the debut album “Coming Home” and a UK tour.

New single “I Will Carry You” is dedicated to their colleagues. The group has appealed for serving soldiers to add their voices to the track which will appear on their new album “Letters Home”.

The money will be shared between the Army Benevolent Fund, Help For Heroes and the Royal British Legion. Gulf War veteran Richie, a former South Chadderton School pupil, found fame when promoters teamed him up with Ryan and Gary in 2007.

He is now an instructor at the Royal Military College of Music and lives in Cambridgeshire with his wife Nicci.