DESPITE atrocious weather conditions, Lydbrook band managed to carry out their traditional performances down the village street, on Christmas Day.

It’s been a festive tradition in the village for 92 consecutive years.

While the villagers had been resigned to them not providing their seasonal songs and carols, in the face of torrential rain and a screaming gale, they were astonished to see the band, wrapped seecurely against the elements, proceed as normal down through Upper, Central and Lower Lydbrook.

At times the band were forced to deploy umbrellas to protect the musicians from the worst of the rain - which threatened at one stage to actually drown a tuba player.

The band, who have won numerous prizes and awards in their history, and who appeared in the National Lottery TV advert two years ago, have been entertaining the village on Christmas Day for 92 consecutive years.

Secretary Robert Morgan joked with appreciative onlookers, that some of those who attended to play this year featured in the first one...

Villager, Mark Ashton, said: “This band must be utterly fearless, as they turned out in what has to have been the worst possible weather. It was coming down like a waterfall, and the poor musicians, and their instruments, were literally running with water.”

He added: “Fair play, indeed, to them all. To get ten musicians out in conditions like they braved was absolutely amazing. And the music, as always, was beautiful.”