Iron Maiden are set to take a yoga teacher on tour with them as the band attempt to tackle the early signs of old age.

Drummer Nicko McBrain reveals manager Rod Smallwood has been trying to talk them into the move for over a year after he discovered the health advantages of the physical and mental discipline.

Smallwood has been practicing yoga for some time, which is why he's keen for his musicians to follow him, and that's led McBrain to sign up for an introductory series of classes.

He says: "Rod's been at me for a year. He said, 'Nicky, you've got to get into a bloody yoga class. I've been doing it for years and I feel great.'

"I asked him why and he said, 'So I can get another ten years out of you!'

"So we're talking about taking a yoga teacher on tour with us."

Maiden will headline this year's Sonisphere festival at Knebworth on July 31-August 2 as part of their latest world tour, and will release their fifteenth studio album, The Final Frontier, around the same time.