Band marches on to our TV screens

Stars of the small screen . . . Delph Band and conductor Phil Goodwin are set to star in a television advert for Vodafone

DELPH Brass Band is marching its way into the national spotlight with a starring role in a television advert.

The village was the setting for on-set revelry as camera crews captured the band marching down the High Street to the thud of its drum.

The band is starring in the latest ad for mobile network Vodafone to promote JustTextGiving — a free service for charities to raise money through text messages.

Conductor Phil Goodwin said: “We were contacted by an agency in London who asked if we would want to do it so we said, ‘Yes!’.

“We got an email the night before filming with a specially-commissioned piece to play. We had to learn it quickly for the following day.

“It is great for the band and it was fantastic to see how much work goes into making adverts.

“What will probably be a 40-second section took all day to film.”

The cameras captured the 26 members, led by Phil, marching passed Millgate and performing outside their club in Gartside Street. It is due to be aired within the next month.

It is not the first brush with fame for the band or the village.

Famously the Millgate Art Centre was featured in the classic film “Brassed Off” in 1996, and more recently the band played its rendition of Christmas carols on “Coronation Street” in the wake of the festive tram crash spectacular.

Phil added: “It’s helped that we are national champions this year and that has got us a bit more attention.

“Doing these things is a break from the norm and really enjoyable.

“I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled to catch a glimpse of us.”