A VILLAGE brass band has launched an appeal to save its practice bandroom - a 200-year-old former chapel.

Award winning Swinton and District Excelsior Band has played throughout Yorkshire and Teesside since it was formed in 1936.

Now, following a big clean up of trees and shrubs around the building in the village of Swinton, near Malton, it has been discovered that major renovation work is needed to the stonework.

Secretary Dorothy Ratcliffe said: "Earlier repairs made with cement have degraded the stone and this has been intensified by the removal of the ivy."

The crisis has been aggravated because the ivy has aided the rotting of the window frames which are also having to be replaced.

"At present, the ivy appears to be what is holding the end wall up," said Mrs Ratcliffe.

Anyone who wants to learn an instrument is provided with the loan of one and given free tuition.

"We don't charge a membership fee and we don't have any spoonsorship" said Mrs Ratcliffe.

To help raise the building repair money the band is holding a big balloon race at Burnby Park on Sunday, August 29, after a concert in the park bandstand.

Published: 13/08/2004