Ironbridge Gorge Brass Bands Festival blow their trumpets

The eighth Ironbridge Gorge Brass Band Festival has been hailed as a massive success with around 4,000 music lovers attending.

Brass bands and members of the public alike have already e-mailed organiser Susan Palmer to say how much they enjoyed the two-day event, which got under way on Saturday.

There had been concerns that the wet weather could put a dampener on ticket sales for a charity concert but Mrs Palmer said the whole event had been 'absolutely fabulous' while the sun shone.

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The free outdoor event, held on The Green at the Museum of Iron in Ironbridge, featured 17 bands making it one of the country's biggest non-competitive brass band festivals.

Mrs Palmer said it certainly lived up to expectations.

"It was two fabulous days while the sun shone, it was dry and it was wonderful," she said.

"I have had lots of congratulations and it certainly was the biggest yet.

"The bands had a whale of a time and they really enjoyed it.

"Work is under way for next year's event but I do not know if we can make it any bigger, the museum is not made of elastic bands."

The event also included a charity Last Night of the Proms concert performed by the Jackfield Elcock Reisen Band and Cardiff-based Tongwynlais Temperance Band on Saturday evening.

Mrs Palmer said more than 300 tickets had sold for the concert with the proceeds going to Severn Hospice.

The total is still being tallied.