Why we're joining Forces!

The legendary musicians, based in Queensbury, have been playing the title music of Ilkley-born Alan Titchmarsh's gardening programme, Ground Force.

The CD is launched this week and the band appears on the show at 8pm tomorrow night.

They are shown giving the final magical touch to a priest's garden in Manchester, transformed in May, and Mr Titchmarsh finally realises his ambition to conduct the world-famous band.

Band administrator Geoff Whiteley said he hoped sales of the Ground Force music would bring in much-needed funds for the Centre of Excellence in Queensbury which will allow local youngsters to enjoy brass tuition from the masters.

"We are certainly hoping it will add some more cash to the coffers for the extension scheme," he said.

"The big thing is that it will be sold by BBC Worldwide via the internet. We are already getting many e-mails from Europe and as far away as Australia so it should work very well."

Mr Whiteley said of Mr Titchmarsh: "You would expect an Ilkley lad to be interested like that and he's just as you would expect him to be in real life. What you see in the show is what goes on."

The accomplished band became involved with the programme through their musical director, James Watson, who recorded the title track as a soloist in the first series.

BAFTA award-winning composer Jim Parker wanted to work with the whole band and ended up writing 19 new tracks celebrating the garden and the show's characters.

Titles include Lament of the Dandelion, The Titchmarsh Warbler and Charlie's Water Music - named after gardener Charlie Dimmock.

Copies of the Ground Force CD are available direct from the band room in High Street, Queensbury, priced £12 or £12.80 by post if cheques made out to Black Dyke Band are sent to their headquarters in Queens-bury.

And they can be bought in most major music stores.

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