when starting xampp 'gettext: no such file or directory'

[adetheheat]

64 bit version 5.5.24 xampp on ubuntu linux.
It installs ok, then when I try and run it with
sudo ./xampp start
I get the following errors
cat: /opt/lampp/lib/VERSION: no such file or directory
./xampp: line 426: /opt/lampp/bin/gettext: no such file or directory

So I am unable to start up xampp.