Garry Cutt appeared twice as a player with CWS (Manchester) before conducting Kennedy Swinton (1989), Marple (1996) and Foden’s (2004 & 2008) to victory at the contest.

He remains the youngest recipient of the Mortimer Maestro Trophy award to the winning conductor at the contest.

Great moments

”I’ve been fortunate to experience a number of great moments at the British Open over the years, including four wins, but the victory with Marple in 1996 will always be very special indeed.

”I had 17 very happy years associated with the band and they had a great record at the Open prior to their win. James Scott told me after the victory on ‘Severn Suite’ that given their record over the past few years years, we must have been a pretty decent band!

”I came Marple when they were in the real depths of the lower sections and we grew together – the climax of which came at Bridgewater Hall. It was an amazing day, not just for me, but for so many amazing players. It was perhaps the last victory of its kind.”

The elation of winning with Foden’s was offset with the heartache of the death of my brother the day before the contestGarry Cutt

And the flip side?

”The strange thing is that I only made two appearances at the Open as a player – as second man in the old CWS (Manchester) Band in the late 1970s – and came nowhere.

”Soon after my lip collapsed and my playing stopped, so I took up the baton. I remember being so disappointed that as part of a great band we didn’t come anywhere near the prizes, but in hindsight it turned out not to be a bad thing after all!”

Emotional

The most personal moment however came in 2008.

”The elation of winning with Foden’s was offset with the heartache of the death of my brother the day before the contest. All the highs and lows you wish and didn’t wish on yourself all in one weekend.”