HUNDREDS of talented pupils face a music-free future because of a potential funding crisis.

Bury's MPs are being asked to help before Government money which funds Bury Music Service (BMS) runs out.

The service, which is based at Mersey Drive Primary School in Whitefield, has relied on the Music Standards Fund for the last five years.

This money (£130,000 a year, nearly one-third of its budget) is likely to stop in three years' time, with no indication whether a replacement fund will fill the gap.

BMS was privatised by Bury Council ten years ago but ran into budget problems, along with a high staff turnover partly caused by low wages which led to a drop in student attendance. The financial pressures eased once the Music Standards Fund started in 1998, which allowed the service to improve staff pay, replenish its stock of instruments, and peg charges.

This has helped bring pupil numbers almost back to pre-1993 levels, up from 1,816 four years ago to 2,001 now.

Councillor Steve Perkins, executive member for lifelong learning, said BMS's financial stability had been problematic from the outset.

"The uncertainty in supporting this service could lead to financial difficulties similar to when it started up, which would have a serious impact for pupils across the borough," he told the executive.

Council leader John Byrne proposed that Bury's MPs should ask for early indication of whether alternative funding would be available. However, he was sceptical about the possibility of integrating it into the council's general budget. "I'm always suspicious when it's put into the mainstream budget: there's always a bit skimmed off somewhere," he said. "We need to know the answer."

Councillors have agreed to look at options should the "worst case scenario" come to pass. These include re-establishing an "in house" instrumental teaching service, which would put Bury in line with 77 per cent of other councils.