A founder member of the reborn Wilsden Band performed one last time at a special spring concert in his honour on Saturday night.

Dennis Renshaw has bowed out after 33 years playing his tuba, also serving as band secretary and librarian.

And his son Matthew, a member of City of Bradford Brass, also performed at the farewell concert in Wilsden Village Hall.

“He was the reason I got involved in the first place,” said retired computer systems analyst Dennis, 72.

“Matthew was nine when he got a trombone from school and there was talk of restarting the Wilsden Band, so I took him along.”

There had been a band in Wilsden since the middle of the 19th century, but its demise in 1956 seemed to be final.

Then, in December 1980, Wilsden Village Society set up a meeting for any interested musicians and appealed for a conductor.

Mr Renshaw volunteered to take responsibility for the administration of the newly-formed band, which held its first practice early in 1981, but he then got drawn into playing.

“I’d never played before, but I absolutely loved it,” he said “And banding has given me so much joy over the years. Playing music is just so good for you – it really should be compulsory!”

A man of many interests, after retiring from Bradford & Bingley bank one consuming hobby has been his beloved Citroen CV car.

He said: “It’s sky blue and I’ve had it since 1995, and it’s a wonderful car. My wife Leslie and I have toured all over Europe in the Deux Chevaux.

“When I stopped work I went and worked for nothing two days a week at the garage where it was serviced, just so I could learn the ‘dark arts’ of how a CV works!”

Speaking of his decision to leave the band, he said: “I have always loved music and it is sad to say farewell after the concert, although I will carry on as the band’s librarian.

“I don’t plan to stop being involved. But you need a lot of wind to fill a tuba and I just felt it was the right time to retire.”