Sunny delight

Photo: Helen Taylor and Anthony Miller

MARSDEN BAND delight the crowds in a colourful Lees.

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Organisers have hailed Saddleworth’s Whit Friday band contests an “outstanding success” as thousands of onlookers and brass band champions united in the summer sun.

As the few clouds parted, polished brass sparkled in the sunshine for 135 bands competing in the contests across 12 villages — melting away memories of last year’s disastrous weather.

On a day that saw a total of over £36,000 given out in prize money, spirits were high as the cherished sound of brass filled the air in every corner of the Saddleworth hills.

Bob Rodgers, chairman of the central committee for the contests, said: “It was another superb year for the contests, an absolutely spectacular and wonderful night.

“I would have taken snow over the weather we had last year and I am delighted that the sun stayed out for us.

“We are still getting new bands turning up year after year and that shows that the show will go on no matter what.”

Delph contest narrowly missed out on a record turnout of 80 bands, after one dropped out at the last minute.

However joy was tainted when tragedy struck in Greenfield when a man was killed after being run over by a bus and a serious car crash in Springhead left drivers injured. Despite suffering a half-hour period without a band to perform due to the accident on Cooper Street, organisers at the Lees and Springhead contest were thrilled with the public support.

Parish councillor and chair of the organising committee, Bill Cullen, said: “The weather was just terrible last year and the place was deserted, but the turnout has been great, a cracking day.

“I’m delighted that the people have turned out on mass and it shows that it’s an event people want.

“To have so many contests in a village environment and to actually see the bands marching is a thrill very different to sitting in a hall.

“It’s devastating that an accident has happened here and our hearts go out to those involved.”

Elsewhere it was a slow start for the 124th Uppermill contest, with only five bands playing in the first hour, a break from the normal sight of queuing coaches up High street.

But Oldham Band Lees got the masses on side as they were the first to strike up with a champion rendition of ‘Marching Army of the Nile’, with the crowd erupting with applause.

Onlookers beamed as Coleshill Town Band marched to “The Sun Has Got His Hat On” whilst Emley Brass Band from Huddersfield did not disappoint by raising a smile with their less traditional antics.

With a handful of the women clad in veils and five men sporting ball and chains, the band prompted a rousing sing-along with their wedding march medley including “I’m Getting Married In The Morning” and “Love and Marriage”. Player in the band, Andrew Hudson, said: “There are five couples who have got married or engaged in the band so we went with the wedding theme.

“We generally do something a bit silly every year and the crowd were clapping and singing along, it was just brilliant.

“There is an atmosphere here that you don’t get anywhere else and it brings brass to a whole new audience.”

Saddleworth’s newest contest in Diggle, now in its second year, showed it can compete with the rest with the fine weather prompting 55 bands to sign up to play on the newly built stage.

Other highlights included Northamptonshire’s Boobs and Brass, an all-female band complete with glowing pink uniforms and feather fascinators, and Tartan Brass who paraded their giant Scottish flag down village streets with pride.



CONTEST RESULTS

:: Delph: 79 Bands

1. Marsden Silver 2. Hepworth 3 Kirkbymoorside 4. Rothwell Temperance 5. Oldham Band (Lees) 6. Brighouse & Rastrick 7. Stavanger

Non-Championship: Vernon Building Society, Poynton

3rd/4th Section: Enfield Band

Local band: 1. Delph 2. Wardle Anderson Brass

Saddleworth band: Dobcross Silver

Youth band: 1. 2nd Rossendale Scouts 2. Dobcross Youth



:: Denshaw: 49 Bands

1. Hepworth (Cookson Homes 2. Wakefield Metropolitan 3. Pemberton Old Wigan DW 4. Stavanger

1st Section: 1. St Austell 2. Vernon Building Society

2nd Section: 1. Frickley South Elmsall 2. Eccleston

3rd Section: 1. Greenalls 2. Fulham

4th Section: 1. Kingsway Printers 2. Enfield

Youth: 1. 2nd Rossendale Scouts2. Rochdale Borough Youth



:: Diggle: 55 Bands (Record)

1. Rothwell Temperance 2. Fairey (Geneva) 3. Pemberton Old DW Wigan 4. Lyngby Taarbaek 5. Marsden Silver 6. Stavanager 1st/2nd Section: 1. Diggle. 3rd/4th Section: 1. Elland. Saddleworth: 1. Uppermill. Youth: 1. Oldham Music Centre



:: Dobcross: 65 Bands

1. Rothwell Temperance 2. Hepworth (Cookson Homes) 3. Wakefield Metropolitan

Local:1. Marsden Silver

Best Local Whit Friday morning: 1. Oldham Band (Lees)

Saddleworth: 1. Diggle

Youth: 1. Smithills Senior 2. Rochdale Borough Youth



:: Friezland: 46 Bands

1. Elland Silver 2. Hoover Bolton 3. Stalybridge Old 4. Uppermill

4th Section: 1. Blackley

Youth:1. Dobcross Youth 2. Mossley Hollins High

Local:1. Uppermill

Deportment: 1. Cheshire Constabulary

2. Wardle High School



:: Greenacres: 46 Bands

1. Hepworth (Cookson Homes) 2. Marsden Silver 3. Foden’s. 2nd Section: 1. Frickley South Elmsall 2. Rainford 3. Diggle. 3rd Section: 1. Delph2. Cheshire Constabulary 3. Greenalls.

4th Section: 1. Boarshurst 2. Greenfield 3. Farnworth & Walkden. Local: 1. Marsden Silver 2. Oldham Band (Lees) 3. Delph. Youth: 1. Enderby 2. Rochdale Borough Youth.



:: Greenfield: 62 Bands

1. Brighouse & Rastrick 2. Hepworth (Cookson Homes) 3. Rothwell Temperance

1st Section: 1. Hammonds Saltaire 2. Diggle

2nd Section: 1. Cheshire Constabulary 2. Saanen

3rd Section: 1. Detligen 2. Uppermill

4th Section: 1. Boarshurst 2. Yarwell & Nassington 3. Tiverton. Youth:1. Smithills



:: Grotton: 41 Bands

1. Brighouse & Rastrick 2. Rothwell Temperance 3. Marsden Silver

1st Section: 1. Oldham Band (Lees)2. Uppermill

2nd Section: 1. Whitworth Vale and Healey 2. The Parr Band

3rd/4th Section: 1. Rivington and Adlington 2. Banovallum Brass. Local: 1. Mossley 2. Dobcross



:: Lees & Springhead: 41 Bands

1. Hepworth (Cookson Homes) 2. Co-operative Milnrow 3. Rothwell Temperance 4. Marsden Silver

1st Section: 1. Oldham Band(Lees) 2. Wardle & District Anderson Brass

2nd Section: 1. Diggle 2. Frickley South Elmsall

3rd Section: 1. Cheshire Constabulary 2. Uppermill

4th Section: 1. Hazel Grove 2. West Coast Brass

Local: 1. Oldham Band (Lees) 2. Uppermill

Youth: 1. Rochdale Borough Youth 2. Smithills School



:: Lydgate: 66 Bands

1. Brighouse & Rastrick 2. Hepworth (Cookson Homes) 3. Oldham (Band) Lees

4. Vernon Building Society Poynton5. Lyngby Taarbaek

1st Section: 1. VBS Poynton 2nd Section: 1. Boarshurst

3rd Section: 1. Amington. 4th Section: 1. Salvo Brass

Youth: 1. Dobcross Youth 2. 2nd Rossendale Scouts



:: Scouthead & Austerlands: 68 Bands

1. Fairey (Geneva) 2. Brighouse & Rastrick 3. Hepworth (Cookson Homes) 4. Marsden Silver

First Section: 1. Oldham Band(Lees) 2. Longbridge 3. VBS Poynton

Second Section: 1. Rainford. Frickley South Elmsall. Alder Valley Third Section: 1. Uppermill 2. Greenalls 3. Detlingen Band

Fourth Section: 1. Boarshurst 2. Dinnington 3. Farnworth & Walkden

Youth Secton: 1. Shirland 2. Wardle High 3. 2nd Rossendale Scouts

Best Local: 1. Co-op Milnrow 2. Meltham & Meltham Mills 3. Greenfield

Best Saddleworth: 1. Dobcross. Diggle. Lydgate



:: Uppermill: 62 Bands

1. Brighouse & Rastrick 2. Marsden Silver 3. Lyngby Taarbaek 4. Hepworth (Cookson Homes)

local: 1. Co-operative Milnrow 2. Oldham Band (Lees) 3. Delph

1st Section Alexander(Norway)

2nd Section Saanen Switzerland

3rd Section North Downs Brass

4th Section Brindle Band

Best Saddleworth: Diggle



:: Saddleworth And Oldham District Area Championship

1. Hepworth

2. Brighouse & Rastrick

3. Rothwell Temperance

Local (8 mile radius of Uppermill)

1. Marsden 2.Oldham Band (Lees) 3.Milnrow

Youth: Dobcross Youth