Watford welcomed home one of its most successful exports last night, at a packed out Gallows homecoming gig in the Colosseum.

The hardcore five-piece, whose 2005 debut album received widespread praise from fans and musicians, were playing the venue for the first time, in aid of Watford charity Peace Hospice.

Steph Carter, Gallows guitarist, said: "It's funny to think I've gone from playing local gigs to playing in New York, and now here, where I went for school trips when I was little."

A trio of Hertfordshire bands supported, including Black Hole, another hardcore-punk outfit fronted by Frank and Steph's brother Richard Carter.

Gallows, influenced by the post-punk hardcore scene of the 1980s, come from both Hemel Hempstead and Watford.

Steph said: "Watford was right in the centre of the five of us; it's where we used to meet up and where we used to practice.

"TCCF, the organisers, got in touch with us to ask if we'd do a homecoming gig for the Peace Hospice. A lot of people look up to bands but not a lot of them do anything, we're in a position to give all this money away and make everyone push that little bit to give to charity."

The concert was planned for last year, but was one of a string of gigs which had to be cancelled when Stephen Carter caught pneumonia for the second time, and the rest of the band suffered exhaustion after four years on the road.

At first count today the gig had raised £2,400 for the Peace Hospice, which cares for people living with a life-limiting or terminal illness, with more money to be counted.

Steph said: "When I got sick I had to see three doctors before I was convinced to stop playing. Music is all I know, all I'm good at, when I'm a home I get really bored, but I had to stop before I killed myself.

"Our family are all here and some of my teachers from JFK School are coming. For most of them it's their first Gallows experience. I was told that music would get me nowhere but actually it got me a £1,000,000 record contract."

Fans thrashed it out in the standing area while the band members' family occupied the only-slightly calmer balcony.

Frontman Frank Carter thanked a capacity crowd for supporting the band over the past five years.

His aunt, Marie Phitts, 63, said: "I'll definitely come again, if I had a better pair of legs I'd be crowd surfing with the rest of them. They're all lovely boys, very well mannered, we're all very proud."