APART from one heavy shower, sunshine brought the crowds flocking back to the 79th annual West of England Bandsmen's Fest-ival at Molinnis Park, Bugle, on Saturday.

With good entries and the repositioning of the bandstand, it was a day of splendid playing and close results in almost every section, but Camborne once again proved themselves champions in the "big guns'" contest.

Hatherleigh Silver got proceedings under way in the test piece class but were the only band in this section. They were immediately followed on stage by Falmouth's Pendennis Brass, conducted by Glyn Thomas, and although the band played very well, they were just nudged into second place by Hayle Town by a single point.

There were three bands in the chorus class, with Devon's Lympstone South West Telecom gaining two first prizes over St Stythians and Bugle Silver, second and third respectively. The highest praise of the day from the adjudicator, Geoffrey Whitham, was for St Dennis Youth Band, the only entrants in the youth section. Mr Whitham praised them for a high standard of performance.

The biggest entry of the day was in the march class, where eight bands competed. The test pieces were an own choice march by brass band legend, William Rimmer, and the classic Eric Ball test piece, Resurgam.

The playing of all eight bands was of a very high standard, once again though it was Derek Greenwood's St Keverne who landed the top award in both pieces, with St Dennis second in the march and Welsh band Treherbert and District third. In the test piece, Helston came a deserved second, with Lanner and District third. Fourth place went to St Dennis, competing at this level for the first time in many years.

Then it was the turn of the big guns competing for the Royal Trophy. The set of music for the class A bands was the Rimmer march, Ravens-wood, and Philip Wilby's, Paganini Variations. First band on stage were Bodmin, followed by defending champions Camborne. Conducted by Frank Renton, Camborne set a standard which proved just too demanding for their rivals.

Jag Mount Charles, who followed Camborne on stage, certainly pushed the holders close, but the title holders gained the verdict by a single point. After the results, crowds lined the streets as the bands marched through the village.

Results, Class A - march: 1 Camborne Town 94; 2 Jag Mount Charles 93; 3 Bodmin Town 91. Test piece: 1 Camborne Town 194; 2 Jag Mount Charles 193; 3 Bodmin Town 192; 4 St Austell Town 191. Best player award: Jeremy Squibb, soprano cornet, Camborne Town. Class B - march: 1 St Keverne 96; 2 St Dennis 95; 3 Treher-bert and District 94. Test piece: 1 St Keverne 183, 2 Helston Town 181; 3 Lanner and District 180; 4 St Dennis 179. Best player award: Kelvin Retall-ack, solo cornet, St Keverne. Class C - chorus: 1 Lympstone South West Telecoms 82; 2 St Stythians 81; 3 Bugle 80. Test piece: 1 Lympstone South West Telecoms 177; 2 St Stythians 176; 3 Bugle 175. Best player award: Brent Ellis, cornet, Lympstone South West Telecoms. Class D - test piece: 1 Hayle Town 174; 2 Pendennis Brass 173. Best player award: Simon Gill, euphonium, Hayle. Class E - test piece: 1 Hather-leigh 172. Best player award: Helen Squires, flugel horn. Youth section, test piece: St Dennis 178. Best player award: Andrew Julian, soprano cornet. Best cornet player: Kayleigh Rowe. Special awards - Best soprano cornet: Jeremy Squibb, Camborne. Best solo cornet: Chris Leonard, Camborne. Best euphonium: Robert Jose, Camborne Town. Best solo horn: Sara Robins, Jag Mount Charles. Best set of basses: Camborne Town. Deportment class: 1 St Austell; 2 Bugle. A R Trudgian youth awards: Emma Smith, Mount Charles and Ian McKnight, St Austell.