The man credited with keeping the one of the world’s oldest brass bands alive, has died at the age of 97.

Banding life

Eric Parkin joined as secretary of Stalybridge Old Band in the 1960s and over 35 years helped them is various capacities.

The great, great, granddad officially stepped down in 1998, but kept in touch with band members, past and present, who came together to play at his funeral.

35 years

Daughter, Carol was a cornet player with Stalybridge for five years and said the brass band, which formed in 1809, was his life.

She told 4BR: "We’d got down to about seven members and the conductor at the time was a friend of my dad’s and asked him to help. He agreed on a temporary basis but he was there for 35 years."

Kept going

Carol added: "He got sponsorship from different people and it kept things going. Without my dad it would have closed down. The band was his life, that and his family. He would have liked them playing at his funeral, he would have been really pleased."

Eric, who leaves widow Lily, served as a gunner in the Royal Artillery during World War Two.

Following his discharge he worked in several jobs including as a rope splicer for Kenyons in Dukinfield.

He was the mainstay of Stalybridge Old Band. I don’t know what they’d have done without himAudrey Greenwood

High esteem

He was held in such high esteem in the banding world that he even had a trophy named after him – despite never playing a note.

Close friend Audrey Greenwood added: "He was the mainstay of Stalybridge Old Band. I don’t know what they’d have done without him. If you cut Eric in half he would have Stalybridge Old Band running all the way through. It was his life."

Eric, who died of cancer earlier this month, was remembered in a service at Stalybridge’s Revival Mission Church.