Monty Python record World Cup anthem

Monty Python stars have recorded their own unofficial World Cup anthem ahead of England's campaign - with a new version of Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life.

The comedy troupe's Eric Idle has written a fresh verse to mark the contest, making it perfect to console fans if the team crash out early.

The updated version of the song - which comes ahead of their 10 reunion shows at London's O2 Arena next month - is available through the iTunes Store from today.

Idle originally wrote the song for the final sequence of the Python film The Life of Brian, released in 1979, but has become a popular singalong at sporting events and even featured in the London 2012 opening ceremony.

The new verse says: "When you're in The World Cup, And all your hopes are up, And everybody wants their team to win.

"Then they go and let you down, And come slinking back to town, It's time for this daft song to begin."

An official World Cup anthem for England featuring Gary Barlow has now been dropped.

The Python team are releasing a number of their recordings in the coming weeks with their Monty Python Sings album due to be reissued on June 30.

A box set of all their albums will also come out the same day called Monty Python's Total Rubbish: The Complete Collection with remastered versions of all nine UK-released albums.

Their final live show next month is to be broadcast into 450 UK cinemas and 1,500 worldwide.