GARAGE boss Jim Thompson is top brass as far as his fellow band members are concerned.
For Jim is the longest-serving member of the North-East's Ever Ready band, which recently won the region's championship title for the 24th consecutive time.
Jim, who lives at Willington, County Durham, but is originally from the Stanley area of the county, has played in 23 of those championships.
He recently returned from the UK finals at the Albert Hall, where Ever Ready were also competing for the top national title.
He said: "We've won every North-East heat since 1968, but we've never won the UK championship. We came 12th nationally this year, and it was an honour to play at the Albert Hall."
This year, Jim's son Christopher, 15, joined him at the Albert Hall, as a member of the Ferryhill Town Band.
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