CLASSICAL music in Bolton is the theme for today's photographs.

The town has produced many talented musicians over the years and there are no doubt many more in the pipeline.

The caption to the picture above, from December, 1945, read: "Bolton's clever Youth Orchestra, with their conductor Mr Frank Milner in charge, on the platform of the Albert Hall, Bolton, where they gave an attractive concert on Saturday. Martin Milner, the leader, is on his father's left."

The Youth Orchestra, which is still going strong, was founded by Frank Milner in 1943. An accomplished violinist and cellist, he was headmaster of Castle Hill Secondary Boys' School, Bolton, for 26 years until his retirement in 1957.

He died, aged 84, in August, 1976. His son Martin first picked up the violin when he was six years old, and went on to lead the Bolton School and Youth Orchestras before studying music in Manchester and becoming a soloist under Sir John Barbirolli at the age of 19. In 1958 he became leader of the Halle for a record 29 years. He became an honorary fellow of Bolton Institute in 1991, and was 73 when he died in June, 2000.