A FORMER colliery band is celebrating after achieving national success.

The First Section of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain has been won by the BHK (UK) Limited Horden Band.

The County Durham band, sponsored by the Peterlee flooring laminates makers, competed against 17 others, in Dundee.

They are already the First Section winners of the North of England Regional Band Championships.

They won the national championships by playing a set competition piece from Eric Ball's A Kensington Concerto.

The band, which has 30 members, will now compete in the Championship Section, from January, and will have the chance to perform at the Royal Albert Hall.

Band secretary Anne Rice said: "We really had to put the pressure on for this competition as we were determined to win, so we are now very pleased that all our hard work has finally paid off."

The Horden Colliery Band, as it was initially known, has won 281 cups, nine shields and ten bowls.

BHK (UK) Limited's works director, Jim Cunningham, said: "Brass bands are an important part of our local history and so we were delighted when we were asked to get involved with the band. We hope that their dedication takes them to the very top."

The band's next competition will be the Pontins Brass Band Championships on October 25 at Pontins Holiday Camp in Prestatyn, North Wales.