Grimethorpe Colliery Band has announced that star soprano player Kevin Crockford has left the band.

Contribution

A spokesperson told 4BR: "We can confirm Kevin’s departure with immediate effect. We thank him for his excellent contribution to the band’s many successes over the past seven years and wish him the very best for the future. No decision has yet been made as to a replacement, but an announcement will hopefully be made in the near future."

Given so much

Speaking to 4BR, Kevin confirmed the news. "Unfortunately, I couldn’t continue playing with the band. Sometimes these things do happen, but having given so much to Grimethorpe over the past seven years or more I am sad to leave."

During the past year Kevin missed just one concert out of an incredible 63 given by the band, and leaves with many happy memories.

I’ve already had some very interesting offers – and I want to carry on playing at the very highest levelKevin Crockford

Highlights

"The tour to Australia, the back to back National wins, the Proms performance in 2008 and the English National victories are some of the incredible highlights I enjoyed with Grimethorpe in my second stay with the band – so you can see why it was such a hard decision. I wish them all the best – they are an incredible band to play for."

Kevin has no intention of hanging up his soprano though – and he revealed that his phone has been busier than ever since the news leaked out.

Wanted man

A performer who has an incredible 8 National, 5 British Open, 4 European, 2 English National, a brace of Brass in Concert titles and countless other contests wins to his name, is a wanted man.

"I’ve already had some very interesting offers – and I want to carry on playing at the very highest level. I’ve been blessed to enjoy such a playing career over the past 35 years. I’m still very ambitious, so I think I can squeeze in a few more years at the top."