The Hepworth (Cookson Homes) Band is in celebratory mood after being declared the 2010 Whit Friday champion in the Saddleworth and Oldham District.

Close call

In what turned turned out to be an exciting championship, Hepworth narrowly beat off the challenge of Yorkshire Area champion Brighouse & Rastrick.

Seven grand haul

Playing the march, 'The Wizard' under the direction of new Resident MD, Brian Grant, Hepworth competed at nine venues, never finishing lower than fourth. Their success has brought them a prize fund in excess of £7,000.

In addition to taking the £2,500 first prize as overall champion, Hepworth took the top honours at Denshaw (£750), Greenacres (£750) and Lees & Springhead (£600).

They also pocketed a quartet of runners-up spots at Delph (£700), Dobcross (£500), Greenfield (£750) and Lydgate (£275). A third place was achieved at Scouthead & Austerlands (£300) with a fourth coming at Uppermill (£250).

Hepworth's success at their nine contests was down to being in the top four at all the venues4BR

Individual prizes

Hepworth also picked up individual solo awards at Delph, Denshaw, Greenacres and Lydgate, and whilst the exact figure is still to be confirmed, 4BR estimates a prize fund for the night that will have the treasurer grinning from ear to ear.

Brighouse runners-up

Resplendent in their traditional Whit Friday tunics, Brighouse & Rastrick under Alan Morrison took second place.

They gained victories on 'Ravenswood' at Greenfield (£1,000), Grotton (£600), Lydgate (£775) and Uppermill (£1,000) which were supported by a runners up place at Scouthead & Austerlands (£400) and sixth at Delph (£200).

A plethora of solo prizes came the band's way at Delph, Greenfield, Lydgate, Scouthead & Austerlands and Uppermill, which gave the band an approximate prize fund of £5,190, with some of the monetary solo prizes still to be confirmed.

Rothwell third

Rothwell Temperance and David Roberts made it a West Yorkshire 1-2-3 in the senior championship, with victories coming at Diggle (£650) and Dobcross (£750), a runners up place at Grotton and further appearances in the frame at Delph, Greenfield and Lees and Springhead.

Marsden's hat-trick

Glyn Williams' Marsden Silver took the 'Local Prize' for the third successive year.

Performing 'Knight Templar' at ten venues, the band stormed to victory and £1,000 prize at Delph, with runners-up spots taken at Greenacres and Uppermill to go with with a third at Grotton, fourth at both Lees & Springhead and Scouthead & Austerlands.

Marsden's success has given them approximately £3,115 with confirmation yet to be received on the exact figure.

There was more 'wizardry' from John Collins and Oldham (Lees) and George Allen's famous march gave them second place locally with Andrew White and Co-operative Milnrow in third.

Mephi success for Dobcross

The Youth champions have been confirmed as Dobcross Youth who played 'Mephistopheles'.