The Killers cancel Dublin concert

Brandon Flowers, second from left, has lost his voice

US band The Killers were forced to cancel a gig in Dublin because frontman Brandon Flowers has bronchitis.

The concert, due to be held at the Point Theatre on Thursday night, was set to be their biggest and last show on their European tour.

In a statement the band said they are "devastated to disappoint" but claim it was "impossible to go ahead".

The show will not be rescheduled because of US tour commitments. Refunds will be available for ticket holders.

Christmas song

The band said they were really "excited" to perform in Dublin and have promised to find a way to "make it up" to the city.

Meanwhile the group have revealed plans to release their first ever Christmas song.

The track, A Great Big Sled, will be released on iTunes on 5 December, according to the band's website.

The Killers have decided to donate all the proceeds made from the single to the Red Campaign which helps fight against Aids in Africa.

New material

The lyrics were written by Flowers during a sound check on their UK tour.

Speaking to the Independent newspaper, guitarist Dave Keuning said:

"We always use our sound checks to write new material, as they're the perfect time to spend a half hour noodling away".

The group were asked to do the song by Red Campaign's founder Bono, who is also U2's lead singer.