The Leyland Band is set to make a high profile, if late night, live radio performance on the Tony Livesey Show on Radio 5 Live tonight.

Fan

The Burnley born presenter is something of a brass band fan and it seems that the band’s ongoing problems in securing an appropriate rehearsal facility in their hometown has struck something of a chord.

Leyland Band’s Allan Littlemore told 4BR, that what was nothing more than a local interest story about the travails of meeting local planning permission regulations was blown up out of all proportion by a regionally based press agency, hoping to cash in on a ‘Brassed Off’ pun headline.

Harmony

Allan told 4BR: "We had secured a suitable band room in an industrial unit owned by South Ribble Borough Council and, via formal Planning Approval, intended to build inside it an enclosed and sound proofed playing area.

However, some local residents objected, so we were encouraged to drop our intentions. We musicians understand harmony, and hoped it would rest there as we happily sought an alternative with the help of the Council."

So tonight on Radio 5 Live between 11.00pm and 11.30pm, Tony will be talking to members of the band and finding out a bit more about the story4BR

Working together

He added: "We presently rehearse in nearby Chorley, but want to return to our hometown of Leyland, and under a long term tenancy off South Ribble Borough Council. We are working with them to that end."

However, it appears that the Cavendish Press Agency in Manchester, thought it was a story that warranted national coverage – and as a result the embellished storyline was sent to media outlets all over the country – catching the eye of the producers of Tony Livesey’s show in the process.

Good publicity

Allan though believes that the publicity the story has exponentially generated can only be good for Leyland Band.

"Strangely, none of this held the band up in bad light," he said. "And in some ways quite the contrary, but we would rather they talked about our music making."

Tonight

So tonight on Radio 5 Live between 11.00pm and 11.30pm, Tony will be talking to members of the band and finding out a bit more about the story – backed by some appropriate late night music, although Allan added with neat hint of irony – "It won’t be the theme tune to Neighbours."