The Hangleton Band from Hove in East Sussex are so accustomed to under achieving at the regional contest, that this year they organised a special dinner in Brighton rather than waiting for the
results in Stevenage.

Convinced

However, their MD, Dr Matthew Pollard was convinced that the band’s performance of 'The Dark Side of the Moon' was, for once, as good on the day as it had been in rehearsal and he decided to hang on for the adjudicator’s decision.

Awkward position

When the announcement came that Hangleton had come runner up in the Third Section, Matthew was left in the rather awkward position of being the only member of the band in the hall. Fortunately, members of Brighton & Hove City Brass who were placed 3rd came to his rescue and cheered the result.

Disbelieving

Matthew then had the task of making mobile phone calls to persuade disbelieving members of band that they had come second and would be going to the finals for the first time in 22 years.

By the time he had done this, the Brighton band members had disappeared & he was left, holding the trophy, in Stevenage with no means of travelling the 120 miles back to Brighton where he lives.

He had no option but to get the train to St Pancras, then the underground to Victoria Station, and finally the train to Brighton, wearing his contest dress suit and holding the trophy all the way.

Remarkable

Matthew eventually made the dinner (trophy in hand!) and joined in the celebrations.

Band Manager Andy Taylor told 4BR: "The result was all the more remarkable because the band had to rely on 2 young Eb bass players, aged 16 and 19, with Tom Colwell being drafted in from the Hangleton Youth Band (with only 3 weeks to go) to play with the senior band for the first time."