Aldbourne brass band crowned champions at regional competition

THE Aldbourne Band ended their 41-year wait to be crowned champions again in a regional competition that took place earlier this month.

The band were announced as winners of the championship section of the West of England Regional Brass Band Championships at the Centaur at Cheltenham Racecourse on Sunday, April 3.

They beat 11 other bands to take the top prize in their section for the first time since 1981, with the Flowers Band from Gloucester taking second place and the Cambourne band from Cornwall taking third.

The band will now go forward to represent the West of England at the national finals in October at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Supporters who wish to hear the band should visit the Aldbourne green during the first Sunday of June, July, August or September, or go along to their joint concert with the Phoenix Choir from Reading which is taking place at Christchurch in Swindon on Saturday, July 9, at 7pm.