Following the unprecedented success of their 2015 event, the Bolsover Festival of Brass organisers have announced a new contesting link with the British Open Championship.

Automatic invitation

The contest joins Brass at the Guild Hall and the Wychavon Festival of Brass in offering an automatic invitation to compete in the Senior Trophy in Blackpool to the highest placed qualifying band at next year's top section contest.

Delighted

A Bolsover Festival spokesperson told 4BR: "We are delighted that from 2016 we can now offer our competing bands a wonderful opportunity to win a place at the Spring Festival — just three steps away from competing at the most prestigious brass band contest in the world.

We are also very grateful to Martin and Karyn Mortimer in allowing us to become part of the qualification ladder, which shows that the British Open continues to reach out to more and more ambitious bands."

We are also very grateful to Martin and Karyn Mortimer in allowing us to become part of the qualification ladder, which shows that the British Open continues to reach out to more and more ambitious bandsBolsover Festival of Brass

Warm welcome

A British Open spokesperson added: "We are also delighted to make this official connection with a contest that is becoming ever more popular with competing bands and audiences. We offer a warm welcome to the successful band in the Senior Trophy."