Sour note as town band is banned

The band was not rebooked after it received a low score

A Somerset-based town band is paying to appear on a bandstand after critics said its members were not good enough.

In 2008 the Wellington Silver Band received such poor reviews that they were not invited back to appear in this year's Prom Season.

A spokeswoman for the friends of the Park said the public voted for bands and the one with the lowest score was not subsequently rebooked.

The members of the band are now to pay for their own Saturday night prom.

Band members have decided to pay to appear at the town's proms

Musical Director Andrew Fry said: "We were described, I think, as funereal and yet we were playing The Beatles, Elvis Presley and Andrew Lloyd-Webber. I've never been to a funeral like that personally."

But Pauline Sturgess, of the Friends of Wellington Park, said: "We have to go through them and see which is the most popular and the one with the lowest score, I'm afraid, doesn't get booked for the next season".