Police frontman Sting told the audience he was surprised that the band hadn't all strangled each other as they played their final ever concert in New York last night.

The group, who have had a notoriously rocky relationship, played to a sold-out crowd at Madison Square Garden.

The concert marked the end of their reunion tour, which has seen them play 150 gigs to nearly 3.7million people around the world.

Understandably, they chose to play a set that was laden with their hits, including 'Roxanne', 'So Lonely' and 'Message in a Bottle', and were joined at one point by the New York City police band.

Sting also had the beard which he had sported for the best part of the band's reunion tour shaved off by two women before the first encore, much to the crowds approval.

The tour, which has grossed nearly $350million, shocked many critics who doubted the group would be able to sustain a working relationship following their acrimonious split in the mid-80s.

Addressing the relationships within the band at last nights show, Sting told the Crowd: "The real triumph of this tour is that we haven't strangled each other.

“That's not to say it hasn't crossed my mind, or Stewart's, or Andy's."

The band ended their performance, and their career together, with 'Next To You'.

(by Jason Gregory)