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The Killers paid a surprise tribute to a Welsh rock hero at Cardiff Castle.

Towards the end of their set, The Killers, who headline Glastonbury on Saturday night, performed Rain in the Summertime, one of The Alarm's most famous songs.

The Alarm's Mike Peters was in the crowd to hear it happen.

A delighted Mike told WalesOnline straight after the show: "Somebody had stopped me a for a photo when they started playing Rain in the Summertime, so I didn't quite clock it at first then everybody was looking at me and cheering, then they all joined in singing.

"I think they had enough on their plate, so for them to play an Alarm song was incredible. It was such a surreal moment.

"They didn't have to do it but the fact that they still did makes me feel so flattered, humbled and honoured. I had no idea they were going to play the song.

"Apparently, Jules [Mike's wife] had been talking to their manager who came to stand with us, then I found out she knew and wanted it to be a surprise for me. Brandon sang it so brilliantly. He's such a great frontman."

(Image: Mike Peters) (Image: Mike Peters)

The Alarm today released their new album Sigma and earlier this evening held an album signing at HMV in Cardiff.

It appears that The Killers have been long-time fans of The Alarm and had contacted Mike and his wife, Jules, several months ago about their Cardiff appearance.

“The first hint I have ever had that The Killers were fans of The Alarm came a number of years ago when we were approached by a TV production company from the US to make a programme for America called The Song That Changed My Life,” said Mike, a three-time cancer survivor and co-founder of the Love Hope Strength charity.

“I chose the song In A Big Country (by Big Country) because of the line 'stay alive' in the song, which meant so much to me.

“The production company were associated with The Killers' management team. In their pitch to get me to agree to do the show they mentioned the fact The Killers were all big fans of The Alarm.

“I've always been a big fan of The Killers since they first descended on our planet with their great first album Hot Fuss.

“I've also seen them live a few times. At one gig in Manchester they brought Bernard Sumner on to perform the New Order song Crystal and I thought that was really cool.

(Image: Joshua Knapman)

“Then a few months ago just before they announced the date at Cardiff Castle, their management team sent an email to The Alarm office with the subject line in capital letters THE KILLERS ROCK BAND.

“In the email it said they were trying to contact Mike Peters of The Alarm who lived in Wales. Within minutes Jules was on the phone with the management team and we realised as the conversation unfolded we had lots of friends in common.

“The film crew that had come to Wales to shoot The Song That Changed My Life programme realised there was a much bigger back story to The Alarm and everything we do with Love Hope Strength and that mushroomed into The Man In The Camo Jacket documentary.

“Then as the emails were exchanged it came to light that Brandon Flowers and Ronnie Vannucci, the drummer, were big Alarm fans.

“I'm honoured that The Killers are Alarm fans. To think that we may have influenced their creative path in some small way is humbling to know.”

During their Cardiff Castle show, The Killers also paid tribute to Rachael Bland , the BBC journalist from the city who lost her battle with cancer last year aged just 40, and the Cardiff crowd , asking them: "Can you all come and be our crowd tomorrow at Glastonbury?"