CWA Brass certainly enjoyed their trip across the Irish Sea to compete at the North West Regional Championships in Blackpool for the first time on the weekend.

The band from Carrickfergus was formed in the early 1900s and has been fixture under different guises and amalgamations in contests and in their local community ever since.

They certainly showed that they are a band to respect too, as under MD, Gary 'Tiny' Proctor they came sixth in a highly competitive Third Section against 17 rivals.

Proud

Band Chairman Chris McGookin told 4BR: "We were extremely proud to be able to come from Northern Ireland to compete at the Area contest this year. It's something that we've all wanted to do for a long time and to get placed sixth against such competition was a great achievement for us."

He added: "It will take a long time for the band to come down from the high we're on. All through the weekend we've been welcomed everywhere we went and the whole experience was fantastic. Hopefully we will be able to come over again to compete''.

All through the weekend we've been welcomed everywhere we went and the whole experience was fantastic. Hopefully we will be able to come over again to competeCWA Brass

First

MD Gary Proctor also echoed the same feelings: "We think we may be the first Northern Ireland band to compete at the North West Area, so to come sixth and have a great time has given us a great boost and will hopefully encourage others to follow us. We would thoroughly recommend it!"

The band now compete in the Brass in Concert entertainment championships in Fivemiletown on Saturday 4th March.