THE centre of Evesham will resound to the sound of some of the best brass bands in the country later this year.

Starting at 10am on Sunday, September 17, 47 bands in five sections will be competing in the prestigious Wychavon Festival of Brass.

The bands will be playing at three venues in the town centre, the Public Hall, Evesham Workingmen's Club and All Saints Church where the 11 bands in the championship section will compete.

The seven bands in the second section will play at the Public Hall from 10am to 2pm, seven in the third section from 10am to 2pm at the Workingmen's Club, ten bands in the first section will be in the Public Hall from 3pm to 8pm and the championship section is scheduled from 3pm to 9.30pm in All Saints Church.

"We have a very good entry indeed and the championship section is very strong," said Wychavon Festival of Brass secretary Clive Allen.

This year, for the first time for many years, the entertainment contest, one of the biggest one-day events of its kind in the brass band world, is centred on the centre of Evesham instead of at Evesham High School.

"We have three good venues all very close together in the town centre and we think it will work very well," Mr Allen said.

"The contest, which alternates between Evesham and Pershore, always attracts a lot of visitors and we believe that by bringing it into the town centre at Evesham it will be very good for restaurants, pubs and shops.

Among local bands, the Avonbank (Evesham) Band and Arrow Valley Brass are in the third section and Winchcombe Concert Brass in the fourth section.