Hammonds continue to build on their recent contest successes with the news that they have a new soprano player.

Winning start

Assistant principal cornet Rob Jagger has taken on the role with immediate effect, making his debut at the band's recent concert in Batley and following it up with a successful contest debut at the Hebden Bridge March & Hymn tune contest.

Rob joined Hammonds as 'bumper-up' in 2015 having enjoyed successful spells with Skelmanthorpe and Sellers Engineering.

We will miss Gary and wish him well for the future, but we're very fortunate to have someone of the calibre of Rob to literally step upHammonds Band

Top C finish

He takes over from Gary Bates, who literally ended his tenure on a high note by stepping down due to work commitments after whacking out the final top C at the end of the band's Grand Shield success on 'The Triumph of Time'.

MD, Morgan Griffiths told 4BR: "We are very sorry to see Gary step down as he's made an outstanding contribution to the band. He's a soprano player of the very highest quality and has been such a big personality.

We will miss Gary and wish him well for the future, but we're very fortunate to have someone of the calibre of Rob to literally step up."