Smithills School Senior Brass Band has won the Outstanding Performance Award at the National Festival of music For Youth 2002 for the second consecutive year.

This was the fourth time in five years that the band, conducted by Chris Wormald, had enjoyed scooping the top award.

The annual National Festival of Music For Youth 2002 was staged, as always, in the Royal Festival Hall, London and in summing up, chairman of judges Malcolm Weale described the Smithills' performance as "stunning, exceptional and immaculate".

The programme consisted of three arrangements by Smithills Director of Music Chris Wormald -- battle music from the film Gladiator, the hymn tune The King of Love My Shepherd Is, and the Chorale from Mahler's Third Symphony.

This latest victory at the finals means Smithills Senior Brass Band has, since entering the festival for the first time in 1994, and winning outright in 1995, never failed to win or be placed second every year in nine consecutive entries.

And success for Smithills did not end with the Brass Band. For the third consecutive year Smithills School Senior Concert Band, also conducted by Chris Wormald, finished runners-up, being awarded the Highly Commended Performance Award in the Royal Festival Hall Concert Band category.

The band's programme included Oregon and What Love Tells Me. This also maintained another Smithills' record -- since entering the Senior Concert Band for the very first time in 1997 (and winning the National Final at the first attempt that year), the band has also won or been placed second every year in six consecutive entries.

While in London, the Brass Band also performed at the Great, Hall, Westminster for the Parliamentary Education Lobby. Arriving back in Bolton, the young musicians, who also include students from Bolton Sixth Form College, took part in the BBC recording of Songs of Praise in Victoria Square.

The band's next performance will be at the School Jubilee Concert at Smithills on Wednesday July 10.

Later this month the band records a new CD with Park Records at Exeter University, sponsored by Wallace Printers Ltd, Chamberlain Doors Ltd, Keoghs Solicitors, ICL Fujitsu, Equity Travel Ltd and Greater Manchester Waste Ltd.