A BRASS band which was on the brink of folding has been given a new lease of life and now has the silverware to prove it.

Less than a year ago, Wilsden Band faced a bleak future.

Membership had dwindled to just eight players, and the band was struggling to pay the rent on its rehearsal space in Wilsden.

But thanks to an innovative partnership with the top-flight City of Bradford brass band, it has been reborn as BD1 Brass.

And with a new rehearsal base, players and conducting team, the band is now on top, having clinched a haul of trophies at its first Yorkshire brass band championships.

The partnership was the brain-child of City of Bradford band manager John Mallinson.

He said: “We have had a lot of success with the City of Bradford band. We wanted to try and pass some of our knowledge on to another band, and bring kids into the band so we could start training younger players.”

Keith Dredge, baritone horn player with BD1 Brass, said: “We had an excellent conductor before, he was a really good fellow but the band just fell apart in front of him. It wasn’t his fault.

“We could see our hobby disappearing and dissolving before our eyes.”

In September, the band moved to the City of Bradford’s base in Nelson Street, Bradford, and changed its name to reflect its new location. Membership slowly grew from eight to around 30 players, many of them youngsters.

“It was either do something or die. We went there and we brought ourselves back to life,” Dr Dredge said.

“It’s quite a risk because you lose your identity as Wilsden and become something else, but we couldn’t have continued as we were so it was a breath of fresh air.”

City of Bradford’s musical director Lee Skipsey also started conducting BD1 Brass, a major coup for the band.

Dr Dredge said: “Lee used to play percussion in the Black Dyke Band. It’s like being trained by Alex Ferguson from Manchester United when we are the village football team.”

Brass bands compete in sections, the equivalent of divisions in football.

Last weekend BD1 Brass won the fourth section at the Yorkshire brass band championships, securing a place at the National Championships in Cheltenham in September.

Twelve-year-old cornet player Daniel Clough was also named best soloist, while nine-year-old cornet player Phoebe Mallinson, Mr Mallinson’s daughter, picked up an award for youngest player.

Dr Dredge said: “We’re going to need a trophy cabinet.”

Mr Mallinson said Mr Skipsey and assistant conductor Chris Lewis had worked incredibly hard with the band.

He said: “In six months, they have just flourished. We are now very proud of them being part of our family.”