BROMSGROVE Festival organisers held their breath on Saturday that the unpredictable April weather would stay fine long enough to allow one of this year's major attractions to go ahead uninterrupted.

Fortunately, the sun came out in time to highlight the spectacle of the Band of the Royal Marines as it marched through the town and later performed at a free, hour-long concert on Recreation Ground.

Festival chairman Mary White said: "We were very pleased to have been able to bring the band to Bromsgrove and delight so many people."

Strict security measures were in place to guard against possible terrorist attack but the event went off without incident.

However, Bromsgrove District Council cabinet member Cllr Terri Matthews (Con, Furlongs) said later she is very concerned that under a new directive police are not on duty on Saturday to control traffic.

She proposes to raise the matter of a police presence at similar events at a future meeting of the police consultative committee.

The job of controlling traffic and the crowds, which thronged High Street to watch the band, was left to district council staff.

Mrs White said there is still much to enjoy before the star-studded festival finale, a Celebration of British Youth by the English Chamber Orchestra at St John's Parish Church on May 12.

One of the two soloists will be the BBC Young Musician of 2000, Guy Johnston.

This Saturday, Rivka Golani is the soloist at a concert by the Orchestra of the Birmingham Conservatoire at South Bromsgrove High School.

For details of these and other events, call the Festival office on (01527) 876504.