THE Regimental Band of the Coldstream Guards thrilled a sell-out crowd when it took to the stage at a Bolton school - and performed with some of the pupils.

The band usually only performs at venues such as Buckingham Palace or the Albert Hall in London.

But when it agreed to perform at Smithills School, phone lines were jammed with people desperate to get tickets.

Performing under bandmaster Gavin W Holden, the internationally renowned band with the motto Nulli Secundus - Second to None - lived up to its reputation with outstanding renditions of Trumpets Wild, Stephenson's Rocket, James Bond's Goldfinger theme, and the Regimental March of the Coldstream Guards.

The Guards usually perform alongside the London Symphony Orchestra or the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

But on Saturday night, the chosen fellow performers were the Smithills School Senior Concert Band.

Smithills director of arts Chris Wormald was invited to conduct the two bands in a moving joint performance of the The Hymn to the Fallen.

The Coldstream Guards were eager to perform at Smithills because of the international reputation of the school brass band which has several won world championships and featured in TV documentaries.

The event attracted huge interest. More than 1,200 people contacted the school inquiring about tickets within two hours of phone lines opening. There were so many calls the school's phone network went into meltdown.

Within 40 minutes, all 350 available tickets had been snapped up.

Mr Wormald said: "It was an absolutely fabulous night. The atmosphere was electric and the public reaction was amazing.

"The star of the show was John Storey, whose Euphonium Bravura solo was unbelievable and brought the house down.

"It was a magic night and everyone went away completely stunned."

Earlier this year, the Coldstream Guards played at the Trooping of the Colour Ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

The regimental band was formed in 1785 when a dozen German musicians were enlisted by the Duke of York, Colonel of the regiment, and sent to England to replace civilian performers.

The full band today totals 50 musicians and has performed across the world. In addition to musical duties, it carries out a medical role during wartime which was exercised during the first Gulf War.

Due to the phenomenal interest in the evening, the regimental band will be returning as guests of Smithills School in the spring, either the Albert Halls or Victoria Hall.