MUSIC inspired by the brave deeds of a Durham Light Infantry war hero can be heard in public for the first time next week.

The stirring seven-minute string piece, The Ultimate Sacrifice, will be premiered during the Durham County Youth Orch-estra's performance at the Edin-burgh Festival, on Tuesday.

It was written by peripatetic music teacher Gordon Dike, following a visit to the DLI Museum with his father, John, an ex-war-time serviceman, last year.

While looking around the displays in the regimental museum, Gordon, from Nevilles Cross, read the citation to Adam Wakenshaw, who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his courage in a battle in the North African campaign in Egypt, in June 1942.

The 28-year-old Newcastle-born private returned to his gun battery three times, despite suffering terrible injuries, to continue firing at advancing German troops until he was blown up by exploding ammunition.

Private Wakenshaw, of the 9th Battalion, was the eleventh and last DLI soldier to be awarded the VC. As a result of what he read, Gordon re-worked a musical piece written for his wife, Giovanna, into a tribute to the deeds of Pte Wakenshaw.

He said: "I normally write fun-style pieces, in boogie-woogie, rock and blue grass style, but I felt so haunted by the memory of my visit to the DLI that I wrote a completely different style of piece.

"I was amazed someone could show such courage. I mulled over the piece, which is in parts dramatic, but also dramatic and sorrowful."

His composition will be among six pieces performed by the 30-strong orchestra, the pick of teenage musicians from around the county, in their annual appearance at the festival in Edinburgh.

It will be in part a family affair as Gordon's 18-year-old daughter, Anna, is first violin, while Giovanna is adding an experienced touch to the orchestra, on viola