THE best of brass will be appearing at Priory Park every Sunday from now until September.

A whole variety of bands from in and around the district - including Malvern Hills Brass Band and the Chase High School Band - will be taking part in the series, which began last Sunday with Stourport Brass Band.

This Sunday (May 27), Gloucester Excelsior Band, a fourth section band, will be taking their place on the bandstand.

Bands, like football teams, are split into sections with the top one playing in the championship section.

Band organiser Derek Wells said the Gloucester Excelsior was a mixed age group band which encouraged young people to play and it had just started out in the contesting world.

On Sunday, June 3 the Forest of Dean Brass Band, which is at the top of the band league, will be playing, followed by the Elgar High School Band, conducted by Ken Smith, on Sunday, June 10.

The Muller Cleobury Mortimer Band will be putting in an appearance on Sunday, June 17, Bream Silver Band from the Forest of Dean will play on Sunday, June 24 and then Malvern Hills District Brass Band take to the stand for the first time this year on Sunday, July 1.

On Sunday, July 8 West Mercia Police Band is playing, followed by championship section band, Cinderford Swanbrook, on Sunday, July 15.

You can see the Bell Inn Brass Band, which is in competition with Cleobury Mortimer, on Sunday, July 22. There's a question mark hanging over the following Sunday, but the Band of Gloucestershire Constabulary is playing on Sunday, August 5.

On August 12, Shirley Band is playing, followed by Malvern Hills District Brass Band again on Sunday, August 19.

It's the turn of first section band, Swindon Pegasus, on Sunday, September 2 and Celebration Reed and Brass Band, which has a military band format, is playing on September 9.

The Chase High School Band will take their turn on Sunday, September 16 and Tewkesbury Town Band will round off the season on September 23.