Mother and son to play against each other in brass band competition

Owen Middlemas and his mum Gill will be competing in different bands in the National Brass Band Championships in October

A musical mother and son have won through to compete in a national brass band competition – but they will be playing in different bands.

Owen Middlemas, 16, from Healey plays percussion for Leyland Band while his mother, Gill Middlemas, plays baritone for Milnrow.

Both bands earned their places in the National Brass Band Championships after competing in the North West Area Championships at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.

Leyland, the defending champions, won the contest with their performance of Harmony Music praised by adjudicators as the ‘champagne moment’ of the whole day while Milnrow were third, beating last year’s runners up, Fairey’s.

So for the first time in Milnrow’s 139-year history the village band will get to compete in the national finals at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall in London in October.

Owen was delighted to qualify for the national finals. He said: “It was the first contest I have entered with Leyland since I joined the band last November. They are a really good band with some brilliant soloists.

“I have watched the Nationals before but this will be the first time I have competed in the championship final and I am really looking forward to it.”

Both bands now need to raise at least £5,000 to cover the costs of the trip to London.

Leyland Band, ranked seventh in the world, is also fundraising for a trip to Oslo in May when the band is representing England in the European Brass Band Championships.