A MUSICAL maestro is set to defend his world title in the North-East - almost 30 years after it was contested in the region.

Bert Draycott WCSP - the letters stand for World Champion Spoons Player - is challenging all-comers to beat his cutlery skills when the championships are staged next month.

The competition is being held in Trimdon Village during its annual traditional music festival.

Mr Draycott, 72, claims to have won the inaugural title when it was held in the Busty compressor house at Fishburn colliery in 1973.

A virtuoso on the dessert spoons for 50 years, Mr Draycott reckons he will take some beating at the revived championships.

He said: "I've instructed thousands of people, but not everybody gets away with it because it's not as easy as it looks. It's quite technical, but you'd have to see my act to understand it."

Mr Draycott still performs on the folk circuit and has developed a series of special moves, including the Fishburn Flick, Shotton Stott, Blackhall Bounce and Newcastle Knuckle Knocker and hopes to put them to good use in the competition.

Sandra Kerr, a lecturer in traditional music at the University of Newcastle, said the spoons are a time-honoured percussion instrument and she would like to see a spoons orchestra established in the region.

She said: "It's the people's instrument, because everybody's got a pair of spoons to bang together.

"I absolutely applaud this competition in Trimdon. It's ground breaking news and I'm very proud of the North-East for initiating it because it's a fantastic instrument."

The festival takes place between September 6 and 14 and acts appearing include Lindisfarne, Vin Garbutt and Jez Lowe and the Bad Pennies.

The World Spoon Playing Championships is in the Bird in Hand pub in Trimdon Village on Saturday, September 7, from 1pm. Everyone is welcome to enter.

For more information on the festival visit the web site on www.trimdonfestival.co.uk.