Brass band fans will flock to Bradford this weekend for the annual Yorkshire Brass Band Championship.

Yorkshire Champions Rothwell Temperance Band will be defending their title in the Championship category against 11 bands, including the National Champion Band of Great Britain, Queensbury-based Black Dyke Band.

The championships are on Saturday and Sunday at St George’s Hall.

Contest controller Peggy Tomlinson said: “The contest is closely-fought. The playing is passionate and can be breathtaking – and all for the glory of being Yorkshire Champion.”

In the Championship Section, the Bradford district will be represented by Black Dyke Band, along with Brighouse and Rastrick.

The Yorkshire Co-op Band, based in Brighouse, will be battling it out with the likes of the Hammonds Saltaire Band in the First Section.

Clifton and Lightcliffe Band will be competing in the Third Section, while the Haworth Band, the Wilsden Band and the Clifton and Lightcliffe B Band will compete in the Fourth Section.

Four bands in the Championship Section will represent Yorkshire in the Champion Section Finals of the National Championships, at the Royal Albert Hall, London, in October.

The winner and runner-up from the lower sections will represent Yorkshire in the Lower Section Finals of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain, at the Harrogate Conference Centre in September.

For tickets, call the box office on (01274) 432000.