MUSICAL couple Donna and Alan Lewis are trumpeting the success of their band after it clinched a prestigious national title.

The Elton pair joined colleagues from Leyland Band to compete in the All England Masters Competition, held in Cambridge last weekend.

The couple, of Mizpah Grove, have played in the band for the past two years, and were in competition with members of 20 other brass ensembles.

Bands were asked to play a rendition of the test piece Chivalry, by composer Martin Ellerbey.

And it was the Leyland version, led by Grimethorpe Colliery Band conductor Garry Cutt, that was judged to be the best.

The band, which has no sponsor, won a much-needed cash prize of £3,500.

Tenor horn player Donna and Alan, on cornet, first played together 17 years ago and won the British Open championships in 1989 with the Kennedys Swinton Band.

Donna said: "As a couple we met through brass bands and for us to have won two major contests together is wonderful.

"Most of the top brass bands are sponsored and for an unsponsored band to win this is quite a feat.

"It is the second most important event in the brass band calendar and the prize money will be an enormous lift for us."

There was also an opportunity for Donna (33) to play a solo tenor horn version of the Les Miserables favourite I Dreamed a Dream in an accompanying gala concert.

Her piece will feature along with the winning rendition on a CD to be released later this year.