TALENTED Simon Minshall has celebrated the greatest day of his nine-year-old life.

He has won a place at Chetham's -- the world famous school of music -- where he will start in September studying trombone and piano.

And the little lad who also plays baritone, euphonium, keyboards and violin can't wait.

He blew the auditioning panel away at the Manchester school, which accepts exceptionally gifted young musicians from all over the country and Europe, earlier this month.

When his letter of acceptance arrived he declared : "Mum, this is the happiest day of my life."

Simon, a year five pupil at the Holy Family RC Primary School, Boothstown, hails from a "top brass" family and has had an ear for music since he was three years old.

His parents Helen and Stephen, of Haweswater Avenue, Astley, are both tuba players, and his eight-year-old sister Samantha also plays euphonium and trombone.

Helen is head of brass at Bolton Music Service and the musical director of Astley Youth Band, while Stephen is chairman of Astley Youth Band.

Simon started keyboard lessons at the Yamaha Junior Music School at the tender age of three, and moved into brass aged five.

He started playing the baritone, then the euphonium, having lessons first at home with his mum, Helen, then at school with Dave Little from Wigan Music Service.

In 1998 he picked up the violin at school with teacher Colin Mather, continuing his keyboard studies at home with Bernard Dickinson.

In February 2000 his interest moved to the trombone with lessons at Bolton Music Centre, and later in the year he passed both grade 4 euphonium and trombone examinations from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music.

Simon is the solo euphonium player with the Astley Youth Training Band and Bolton Intermediate Brass Band and a trombonist with the Astley Youth Band and Bolton Youth Brass Band in which he is the youngest player.

He has completed three tours with the Astley Youth Band to the Isle of Man in 1997, the south of France in 1998 and Holland last summer.

This summer he will be returning to Holland on tour with Bolton Youth Brass Band.

Mum Helen said: "We are very proud of Simon, and everyone connected with the bands would like to wish him well with his studies at Chetham's and hope that his dream of becoming a professional trombone player eventually comes true."