A NORTH-EAST brass band has been given a three-year sponsorship deal.

Russell Foster, chairman of restaurant group Tavistock Leisure, of Sunderland, announced the award for Chester-le-Street Riverside Band last night.

The announcement was made at the re-opening of the refurbished ballroom at The Roker Hotel in Sunderland, where the band played throughout the evening.

Band chairman Tom Moffat said: "At a time when so many ex-colliery and industrial brass bands have gone out, or are going out, of existence, this is a great example of a regional company coming in to help secure the tradition and history of brass bands in our area."

The band has been in existence since 1877, formed as Pelton Fell Methodist Brass Band, then as Pelton Fell Colliery Band, then Newcastle Brown Ale Band for 27 years until three years ago when they assumed their current name.

The band came second in The North of England Brass Band Championships at Darlington and qualified for the first time in its history to reach the National Brass Band Finals at the Royal Albert Hall on October 15.