A BRASS band whose history dates to the early years of Queen Victoria's reign has secured a top place at a prestigious brass band competition.

Leyburn Band, which is recorded as having played at the town's Shawl Tea Festival in 1841, awarded the highest overall mark of any band competing at the Hardraw Scar Brass Band Festival, near Hawes.

It also won the Charltons Estate Agency Trophy, while West Yorkshire-based band Hade Edge topped the championship standings.

The Shepherd Group Concert Band, from York, which was formed in 1903 under the name Rowntree Cocoa Works Band, landed the Banks Music Cup, while the Richmondshire District Council Chairman’s Trophy went to Knaresborough Silver Band.

The annual contest, which was first held in 1881, has attracted global attention partly as it takes place in a natural outdoor amphitheatre, next to Hardraw Force waterfall.

Crowds watched 13 bands, including Durham Miners and Manchester-based Besses’ o’ th Barn, which was competing at the festival for the first time since their victory in 1889, perform 20-minute programmes, comprising light and popular music of its own choice.