BRASSED-off concert-goers walked out of a show by one of Britain's best-known bands when they were denied a rendition of its biggest hit.

More than 100 people walked out of the Gala Theatre, in Durham City, during a performance by the Brighouse and Rastrick Band on Saturday.

The band had been hired by Durham University to play contemporary pieces by composers, including Norwegian Turstein Asgaard Nilsen.

But many members of the audience, who had paid £12.50 for tickets, wanted to hear the band's famous Floral Dance and made their feelings clear at the choice of modern tunes.

Band secretary and second horn Ian Dust said: "This is the first time I have known a large section of the audience walk out in 24 years, but I did get a little suspicious when it was a full house. We don't normally attract full houses for contemporary music.

"Quite a few left before the interval, then, just after the restart, about a quarter of the audience walked out en masse. They didn't do it quietly. There was quite a bit of tut-tutting - they certainly made their feelings known."

University conductor-in-residence Ray Farr, who chose the programme, said: "About 50 people didn't come back after the interval, I think they expected the Floral Dance.

"At the start of the second part of the programme, I explained to the audience that this was a serious music concert, but shortly into the show another 50 walked out noisily, some shouting 'rubbish'.

"This was insulting and upsetting - but it was also gratifying to see how many people who stayed did enjoy the contemporary brass music."

In 1977, the band, funded by public subscription from two former mining villages in Yorkshire, spent nine weeks at number two in the pop charts with Floral Dance.