Dereham Band, which is fighting to buy the land where its band room stands, got a much needed boost when they won both cups in their section of the East Anglian Brass Band Association spring contest at St.

Dereham Band, which is fighting to buy the land where its band room stands, got a much needed boost when they won both cups in their section of the East Anglian Brass Band Association spring contest at St. Andrew's Hall in Norwichlast week.

The prizes reflected the hard work the band had put in over the last two months perfecting a 25 minute programme of light music and a hymn tune.

The band got off to a flying start with the bright and breezy concert march Barnard Castle by Goff Richards, and finished with a rousing performance of the Gordon Langford arrangement of The Lost Chord by Sir Arthur Sullivan. This piece was all the more poignant, because the band played it at the funeral of sadly missed member Dawn Rollins, who lost her life in an air accident while on holiday last year.

A highlight of the set was the warm and heartfelt tenor horn solo Feelings played by Patrick Nichols, who was personally congratulated by the adjudicator as an outstanding soloist. Young principal euphonium player Owen Moulton was also highly commended, and won the section solo euphonium award.

Musical director Tony Hampton said that he was proud and delighted with his band's performance, coming as it did in such difficult times.

The overall champions of East Anglia were the Norwich and Ipswich Co-operative band. The proceedings were rounded off in the evening by a concert given by Brassed Off stars Grimethorpe Colliery Band, conducted in a seemingly effortless and humorous way by BBC radio's Frank Renton.

Philip Chambers