FROM a steel pan band and harpist deep underground to a piper at the top of Coleford clock tower, local musicians popped up in some unusual places.
It was part of BBC Music Day and the efforts in the Forest were rewarded with plaudits for one of the national event’s unique moments and some of the best photos.
Coleford postie Janice Lightly, who took her ukulele on her round last Thursday (June 15) was number six in the BBC’s unique moments of the day, while photos of folk band Six Foot Way in Puzzlewood and track workers at the Dean Forest Railway being entertained by Ben Coulson and Alex Davies were among the top photos.
Mayor of Coleford, Cllr Nick Penny, said: “The BBC grabbed the concept we pitched to them.
“Musicians got on board and we had a diverse range of performances around the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley in beautiful locations. It was a huge success in terms of putting the area on the map.”
Pandemonium, a steel pan band based at Lakers School, and harpist Bob Swannock of Yorkley went underground at Clearwell Caves to perform.
Ron Mudie, who lives in Chepstow and plays with the Newport Pipes and Drums, carried his bagpipes to the top of Coleford clock tower to play.
He said: “It was quite windy up there which made it quite difficult.”
As Ron played on the clock tower, the Baldwin Brothers – Willis and Harvey of Berry Hill – were hitching a lift on a 106-year-old traction engine.
The engine, which belonged to the Peterborough Gas Comp-
any, is owned by David Oliver of Coleford and is stored at Perrygrove Railway on the outskirts of the town.
There was also Music Day entertainment in Monmouth where folk duo Silurian performed in the shadow of the historic Monnow Bridge while singer-songwriter Kieran Marsh took to the Wye in a canoe with his acoustic guitar.
The day ended in Coleford with local DJ The Wonky Carpenter entertaining shoppers playing music from the window of Moot in St John Street.