Brighouse and Rastrick Band beat the odds to take fourth in the National Brass Band Championships.

The band, which won the championships in 2010 and 2011, performed first in the finals of this year’s contest at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

Paul Beaumont, band president, said it was a tough slot to get as the judges and audience do not have anyone to compare you to. He said: “Every band dreads having to be the first band on stage at a contest as statistics show that you stand no chance of a successful result.”

Fourth place means they will be entered into next year’s finals automatically.

Principal euphonium player David Thornton was also given the outstanding Instrumentalist award.