GRIMETHORPE Colliery Band won the English National Championships for the second year running last Saturday.

Soprano cornet player Kevin Crockford was named best soloist in the competition at Preston.

The band received £4,000 which it will use as expenses when it represents England in the European Brass Band Championships in Ostend, Belgium in May 2009.

Some 15 bands took part in the competition and Grimethorpe played a tune called 'Infinity' which was composed by Robert Redhead and was commissioned by the organisers, the English National Brass Band Association.

The band has 28 players.