MUSICIANS have come together with hopes of resurrecting a town brass band which was dissolved about 50 years ago.

Adrian Beswick, from Bishop Auckland, became determined to get the band back up and running after noticing that the town didn’t have a brass band to represent it on Remembrance Day.

The newly-formed band currently has 18 members and development work is underway on its logo.

The 53-year-old said: “I decided to do some research and found out that there was a band back in the day, the Bishop Auckland Brass Band, which was started in 1870 and stopped in 1970.

“I don’t know why the band was stopped, maybe because of lack of new and young people wanting to join, but I decided I wanted to revive it, and I have started to ask on Facebook pages whether it is what people want, to which there has been a good response.”

Mr Beswick had a meeting with Susan Hayton and Brian Yates, both from The Northern Regional Brass Band Trust, who offered their advice and information on how to restart the band.

Mr Yates, 63, said: “The Northern Regional Brass Band Trust is a charity to support the playing of brass instruments.

“We are keen to help in every way we can in the establishment of new brass bands. Technically Bishop Auckland Band became extinct after 1895, St Helens band and the West Auckland have been intermingled from 1855 to 1970s – apart from through the war.

“The area deserves, and probably needs, a brass band to carry out civic functions such as on Remembrance Day, at social events like playing Christmas carols, at church services and to represent the area at the Durham Miners' Gala.

“Having a brass band gives talented young people the opportunity to gain great experiences playing across the northern region and maybe nationally.

“We hope the people, the councillors and schools in the area will be as enthusiastic as we are to get Bishop Auckland Brass Band restarted.”

Mr Beswick said: “I’ve had people offering to let other learners use their spare instruments and I’ve had offers of a place to practice once we have a band together.

“I am now on the lookout for someone who can teach, and the next step is to see about getting funding to buy the instruments and the uniforms.

"Looking ahead we have a long road to climb in getting to a good standard so that we can go to the Durham Miners Gala and represent Bishop Auckland as the previous band members did long ago.”

To get involved with the Bishop Auckland Brass Band, contact Adrian Beswick on 07716559409