Dr Newsome conducted four bands to the British Open title on five occassions – Black Dyke in 1973 & 1974, Besses o’ th’ Barn in 1982, Fairey in 1987 and Sun Life in 1990.

Highlight

"There have been many highlights for me at the British Open, but one that does stick out was undoubtedly conducting Black Dyke to their hat trick of wins in 1974 on ‘James Cook — Circumnavigator’.

There was so much pressure and expectation of course on the band after their two previous wins, and Black Dyke hadn’t completed a hat trick at the contest since 1881.

On the day they performed wonderfully and I couldn’t have asked anymore of them. It was a magnificent performance by a magnificent band."

They certainly hadn’t heard my percussion playing because ‘professional’ wasn’t the word I would have used to describe it!Dr Roy Newsome

On the flip side?

"A little bit tongue in cheek this one as the British Open has been so good to me over the years.

I only played twice at the contest as a player – once with Crossley Carpets on ‘Tam O’ Shanter’s Ride’ and once again with Black Dyke – as assistant second percussionist on ‘Spectrum’ in 1969.

As it was such a different piece, Geoffrey Brand asked me to help out and play the part as I recall – and so I donned the famous uniform and made my contesting debut with the band.

Unfortunately we didn’t play very well and didn’t come anywhere, whilst there were quite a number of complaints from rival bands in the bar afterwards who thought Dyke had bent the rules by employing a ‘professional musician’ to play for them.

They certainly hadn’t heard my percussion playing because ‘professional’ wasn’t the word I would have used to describe it!"