Smithills School Senior Brass Band returned home triumphant after a "breathtaking" performance before more than 7,000 people in London's Royal Albert Hall. The band - recently crowned "Best School Brass Band in the UK" - was chosen to play at the opening of the massive National Festival of music for Youth.

The hall was packed to capacity, but the young band members kept their cool. Announcers Bob Holness, Richard Stilgoe and Anthony Hopkins all chose the same word - "breathtaking" - when they took to the microphone to congratulate the band.

It was a double triumph for Smithills. Their conductor, Smithills School's head of music Chris Wormald, composed and arranged the ceremonial fanfare and rousing version of the National Anthem which opened the event and almost brought the house down. The band also played music by James Curnow and the complex Firebird ballet music by Stravinsky. Anthony Hopkins told the audience, which included the Mayor and Mayoress of Bolton, Cllr and Mrs Alan Rushton, headteacher Mike Kehoe and his wife and school governors: "You will not hear a finer band in this country or in this hall."

More than 100 pupils, staff, parents and governors travelled in coaches to London. And former pupil Kaye Masters flew from New York to play in a six strong trombone section.

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