Members of a Bradford brass band will be hoping they are in safe hands when they take to the stage with one of the youngest conductors ever to compete in the Yorkshire Regional Brass Band competition.

Michael Hannon, 26, pictured, will be seizing the baton and hoping to lead the Yorkshire Building Society Concert Brass Band to victory at the contest this weekend at St George's Hall, Bradford.

Michael, of Idle, might only be in his 20s but he has performed on the cornet for the past 16 years with various high-profile brass bands, including the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain and Black Dyke.

Michael, who works for the NHS in Bradford as a podiatrist looking after feet, stepped in to conduct the band in January.

Michael said: "I am Bradford born and bred so am delighted to be competing with a local band. The skills and demands of conducting and playing are very different and though over the years I have taken part in the Yorkshire regional competition several times as a player, to be conducting is a challenge that I'm really looking forward to."

Michael, who attended Woodhouse Grove School, Apperley Bridge, was introduced to "banding" by his father, Leslie Hannon, who also played cornet for Black Dyke.

After playing for the Salvation Army Michael joined the Jayess Junior Band at the age of ten and then took lessons with cornet soloist Roger Webster.

He later realised his childhood ambition to play for Black Dyke - and stayed with the band for about two-and-a-half years.

"The highlight of that time was winning the National finals in the Albert Hall in London," he said.

Now Michael has swapped roles and is hoping he will make it to the national finals as a conductor.

At least one member of the band will be able to lend his vast experience to the young musician.

This will be the 20th time that trombonist Matthew Renshaw, 30, will have taken part in the contest, which is the most important date in the brass band player's calendar.

If the band, which will be competing on Saturday, is successful it will go on to compete in the national championship finals in September.

Tickets for the competition on Saturday and Sunday, priced £5, can be purchased through the box office on (01274) 432000.