FOLLOWING 18 months of public silence, brass band music is set to return to Seaham.

After inheriting instruments from the former Seaham Philharmonic Brass group, the area's Music Academy now intends to put them to good use in the form of a new town band.

The Seaham Music Academy has its own brass section and members will be present at Deneside School, on Sunday October, 1, at noon, to help form the nucleus of the new band.

Musicians from the town's previous brass bands will be more than welcome, along with others interested in playing for the new group.

Initially, the band will meet every Saturday, at noon, for one-hour sessions, but once established, practices will switch to weekday evenings.

The emphasis of the new band will be on playing for pleasure. All ages are welcome.

Sessions at the academy are between 9am and noon every Saturday, at Deneside School.

As well as teaching people how to play instruments, the academy has also formed a singing group and a junior section to help introduce children, from nursery age upwards, the basics of music.

Anyone wanting further information can telephone 0191 513 0378, weekends, or after 7pm on weekdays.

A spokesman said: "While it will be good for the town to have a band to perform at civic ceremonies, such as the mayor's Christmas carol service, if the band's members find they do not enjoy playing and learning together, it will be a pointless exercise.''

The academy is a not-for-profit organisation, which exists to teach people of any age.

Current members' ages range from four to 82 and all attend to learn or improve on how to play brass, string and woodwind instruments.