WHEN Mick Donnelly joined the staff of Barnard Castle School, his pupils soon discovered he had oodles of sax appeal.

For when they realised that Sir was a professional musician who used to be in The Commitments, music lessons suddenly became much more interesting.

Mr Donnelly is band master at the school, where he runs various musical groups, bands, orchestras, junior wind ensemble and, more recently, a soul band.

"When I arrived here, the music was quite traditional," he said. "Although it still leans heavily towards the orchestra side, things are changing.

"My brief was to come in and enhance the bands and orchestras and to try to find new ventures. I am sure I was brought in to encourage guitarists and drummers," he added.

"I am trying to engage pupils not necessarily musically inclined and my background helps with that."

He teaches all the lower school, showing them the ins and outs of the pop industry, and admits that his former lifestyle means that he has half the battle won, as he does not have to fight to gain and hold pupils' interest.

Born and brought up in Hartlepool, Mr Donnelly, 43, was "encouraged" to play the saxophone at school.

"It was put in my hand and I was told to play it, so I persevered until I could," he said.

His enthusiasm for the instrument obviously paid off, as he left the North-East at the age of 18 to seek fame and fortune in London, gaining a job on the QE2 alongside big band leader Joe Loss.

Following that he got work in West End theatres, but what he really aspired to be was a pop star.

His big break came when he got a call to play saxophone on the cult Eighties TV programme, The Tube, which was made in Newcastle and fronted by Jools Holland and the late Paula Yates.

"I played with Ian Dury and his band at that time, the Music Students (forerunner to the more famous Blockheads), as their sax player had taken ill," said Mr Donnelly.

His musical talents went from strength to strength. A member of The Commitments, although not in the film, he played two British and a European tour with them.

Having made enough money as a saxophonist to buy his own pub, he returned to the North-East, but remained heavily involved with the music industry before qualifying as a music teacher.

He has his own band, Musicians Unlimited, of which he is conductor and is working on a venture with them to raise money for the Hartlepool Hospice.

The outfit was named Big Band of the Year in 1998 and has received awards from the BBC as some of the most outstanding musicians in the country.

Mr Donnelly is on the committee of the hospice and Musicians Unlimited are working on a big band karaoke live CD with 12 singers. It is to be recorded in front of a live audience and will be on sale in July, with proceeds going to the hospice.

Now heavily involved in developing his students' musical talents, he helped set up a soul band last September after spotting individual potential and bringing them together.

The band - with the rather ordinary name of Barnard Castle School Soul Band - is gaining a reputation for its extraordinary talent.

The band contains 12 members aged from 13 to 18 and is fronted by singers Emily Malcolm, Scott Penman and Jamie Fieldhouse. They recently played at a charity jazz evening where their maturity in performing numbers such as Dock of the Bay, Mustang Sally and I Feel Good earned high praise, with everyone up dancing.

Since the soul band started, another six rock bands have blossomed at the school, all with different members.

"A lot are writing their own music, just composing from raw talent," said Mr Donnelly. "But the soul band is causing the most excitement. It's lively and socially interactive and is attracting non-academic musicians. Two of the singers have had no formal training whatever."

However, despite his full-time teaching post and fitting in practice sessions with all the different groups, Mr Donnelly still likes to keep abreast of what is going on in the music business.

Two years ago he did the MTV awards with Britney Spears, which he had to describe in great detail to the envy of every young person in school.

More recently he accompanied Pop Idol winner Will Young when the star made a personal appearance in Manchester and has recently returned from Wembley, where he played for American soul singer Alexander O'Neill.

"School is very good about releasing me," he said. "I think they realise it helps keep my finger on the pulse and I suppose it adds a certain kind of kudos."

However, he has no intention of performing full-time again and enjoys his job at the school. Married for five years, he lives with his wife and family in Hartlepool, but is househunting in Barnard Castle.

"I am very happy here," he said. "I love the job and the setting, and I like the security of a regular income now I am settled down with a family to feed."