A primary school is appealing for help to let their students blow their own trumpet and carry on the proud tradition of Queensbury brass bands.

After a call for new members of its brass group, Foxhill Primary School saw a surge in pupils wanting to learn to play the tuba, trumpet, trombone and other instruments.

Everyone at the school, on Brighouse and Denholme Road, was surprised by how many pupils came forward – they had to stop accepting volunteers after 22. But the enthusiasm left the school with a problem – they have just four instruments – just one for every five students.

Now the school hopes that with Queensbury’s history of brass bands, former musicians may have instruments they are able to donate instruments, or sell them to the school for cheap.

Garry Walls teaches music at Foxhill and several other primary schools. He said he was overwhelmed by how many pupils wanted to join the brass band.

Until recently, the band had 12 members, a number of them in their final year at the school. After they left, they took their instruments with them.

The successful effort to keep the band from becoming too depleted has now left the school desperate for instruments.

He said: “I went round with the school head and did a little presentation to each class and offered sessions to start people off. We ended up getting about 22 pupils coming forward.

“We only just got a fourth instrument, and ideally we’d have one for each pupil, so we need another 18. If people could donate them that would be great, but it would also be good if someone could sell them to us cheaply.

“We need to get instruments, but if we bought them it would cost us a couple of thousand at least.

“Any instrument is welcome, but we do need a euphonium, tenor horns or any instrument, really.

“It is a very musical school. I work in other primary schools and I’ve never seen a school that embraces music like this one. A lot of schools say they have a creative curriculum, but they don’t really embrace music as much.

“The band have already had a few concerts. We had one at Christmas and the band played at a carol concert, and they sounded really good. We are only a small school, so to have this many pupils come forward for the band is amazing.

“The teachers say it has really transformed some of the pupils and they’ve been getting really involved recently.”

Queensbury is famous for its brass bands, including the 150-year-old Black Dyke Band and the Queensbury Brass Ensemble. And with the enthusiasm shown by the Foxhill pupils, it looks like the tradition has lost none of its luster, and is being embraced by a new generation.

Mr Walls believes it is important that pupils learned the instruments to carry on Queensbury’s brass dominance for years to come.

And with so many local brass musicians he hopes there are plenty of people who might have an old instrument gathering dust in their attic that they are willing to donate to the school, and give it a second life.

Mr Walls plays multiple instruments, and is the organist at Queensbury Parish Church as well as playing in local band The Joe Public. He said that if the school got the instruments it needed it would create a huge youth movement in Queensbury’s brass music scene.

He added: “With this many members we’ll hopefully have a huge sound. We’ll be able to team up with other musicians like drummers.

“If the school band is really successful, then we might ask to do a concert in Victoria Hall in Queensbury. We could do fundraisers and I would really like to record them eventually.”

To donate an instrument, contact the school on (01274) 882426, or e-mail office@foxhill.bradford. ch.uk.