The newly crowned British Open Champion, Brighouse & Rastrick has announced that their success at Symphony Hall marked the final contest performance of flugel player Mike Eccles.

Valued

In a post of their Facebook page they stated that after a decade of commitment, the much valued player had decided to leave, "to pursue his passion for conducting and his dedication to inspiring young musicians."

They added: "We have no doubt he will excel, not only because of his incredible musicianship and experience, but also because of the warmth, kindness and generosity he brings to everyone around him.

Over his years at B&R, Mike has given so much to the band. His talent and commitment have left a mark on every performance, and his friendship and leadership have inspired those who have shared the stage with him, many of whom have known him long before his decade with Brighouse.

To many, he has been a guiding light, showing what it truly means to be a bandsman.

Time to leave

In his own post Mike stated: "With everything I've been dealing with these last 18 months, it's been very hard to find balance with everything, and something had to give.

It's now time to take some time off. Although I won't be committing to anything permanent, if anyone needs a conductor for rehearsals etc, then please get in touch."

They are an amazing group of people, both musically and socially, and I am so proud to have shared a journey with themMike Eccles

Cherish

He added: "I'm also looking forward to focusing on my diving in the meantime, with instructing and technical diving. To do the best part of 10 years at B&R seems a massive milestone, but one I'll cherish forever.

They are an amazing group of people, both musically and socially, and I am so proud to have shared a journey with them."