Napalm Death had to halt a show in the US when a bat took up residence in the venue.

The band were distracted by the animal which was flying around above the stage during their set at The Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Clearly concerned for the creature’s wellbeing, frontman Barney Greenway says: “Don’t fucking hurt him, leave him be.” He also asks staff to try direct the bat towards the door.

But the band clearly also see the funny side, as they spontaneously break into the riff from Black Sabbath’s self-titled 1970 single. Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne famously bit the head off a bat while onstage in 1982.

Last year, Ozzy had planning permission to convert a barn on his Buckinghamshire property into a two-bedroom house refused until he could prove the welfare of bats living in the barn would be protected.

Napalm Death are touring in support of latest album Apex Predator – Easy Meat and last week Greenway said the band were selling more records than ever before. Napalm Death play Bloodstock festival this August. Get your tickets here.

The bat eventually moved on and the show continued.