Members of the Formby Band made a lovely surprise visit recently to the home of former player Roy Shaw to help him celebrate his 91st birthday.

Roy has enjoyed a life-time of brass banding — right from when he joined the St Francis de Sales Scouts Band aged just 8.

He remained playing in the band until he joined the army at the age of 18, and on his discharge he immediately got back into the swing of things by joining the Edge Hill Brass Band in Liverpool.

I'm sure he would come back to playing tomorrow if we ever needed him for a contest!MD, Louise Hough

Formby formation

Here Roy played at the top level (the band was a force in the area for many years in the 1950s and 1960s) for many years before taking up the opportunity to play with the Formby Band on its formation in 1974.

Formby MD Louise Hough told 4BR: "It was a real pleasure to surprise Roy. He's a wonderful man and a true bandsman and we wouldn't have flourished without him.

I'm sure he would come back to playing tomorrow if we ever needed him for a contest!"