The southern Chinese city of Nanning rarely throbs to the sounds of steel pans or calypso music. Most of the children there have never seen a foreign face.

Last month its inhabitants experienced a new sense of wonder when the Kiskadee steel band duo from Belmont filled the air with authentic Caribbean beats.

Jeanette Contant-Galitello, 38, the partially-sighted lead singer, was invited to perform for the China Disabled People's Performing Arts Troupe.

The troupe, which has performed in more than 30 countries since being founded 20 years ago, has now invited Kiskadee to join them for a possible UK tour.

Despite having provided the backing vocals for Michael Jackson's Hurricane Katrina charity single, Jeanette was taken aback by the honour.

She said: "Can you believe the vice-president told me they'd like me to be part of their My Dream show with my steel drum? Now that would truly be a first.

"Picture this: music plays and about 60 young, deaf women become one. This person stands there until all of a sudden hundreds of arms fan out in perfect symmetry. The graceful dance continues with the most staggering beauty.

"It'd be wonderful if we could be instrumental in their bringing the show here. If it got to the West End it would be a sell out every night for at least a year, no exaggeration."

Jeanette, who had her right eye removed aged eight months, also gave a talk at the Beijing School for the Blind about her life as a visually-impaired musician.

To hear Kiskadee perform, visit kmm.info