COMPETITORS refused to be beaten by the snow as dozens braved the cold snap to take part in the Mrs Sunderland Music Festival.

Although evening classes were cancelled yesterday, entrants from as far afield as York and Sheffield were undeterred by heavy snow during the day as brass, woodwind and string classes got under way.

And for one musical family a two-hour drive from York was made worthwhile when brothers Charlie and Robin Bayley achieved success.

Oboe player Charlie, 14, came third in the under-14s woodwind solo class yesterday after winning the junior duo category on Tuesday evening.

He said: "We came by car and had to set off about 7.15am to get here.

"It wasn't snowing too heavily when we set off. If it had been we might not have come."

His success was shared by Robin, who won the under-12s brass solo with his playing of Haydn's Trumpet Concerto.

Elaine Lee, the festival's general secretary, was impressed with the turnout.

She said: "We are delighted that so many contestants have made the effort to get here in such difficult conditions. We are pleased to see all classes under way.

"Luckily, many contestants were local, but there are some who have travelled a long way. So we have done really well, despite the schools being closed.

"It just shows how keen they are."

She said audiences had also remained undeterred by the bad weather, as tickets for the performances continued to sell throughout the day.

The festival is being held in Huddersfield Town Hall and St Paul's Hall on the university campus.

RESULTS:

Piano Recital (12 to 14) - Section A: 1 Hector Docx, 2 Sophie Henshall. Section B: 1 Katrina Lee, 2 Victoria Cole.

Piano Solo (8 years and under) - 1 Tarron Frampton-Clarke, 2 Grace Mills, 3 Eleanor Bolt and Emily Rose Kaye. Piano Solo (9 years and under) - 1 Olivia Ibell, 2 Thomas Hardy, 3 Jacob Birkenhead and Holly Shepherd.

Family duo (one competitor under 11) - 1 Abha and Aniketa Khushu, 2 James and Harriet Cotton. Family duo (one competitor under 17) - Victoria and Alicia Haigh.

Trumpet / Cornet Solo (16 years and under) - 1 Rebecca Robertson, 2 Carl Wallis, 3 James Rowe and Jessica Roebuck.

Junior Duo (16 years and under) - 1 Charlie Bayley and Jack Holmes, 2 Kate Morrison and Amy Clancy.

Brass Solo (16 years and under) - 1 Nigel Hockin, 2 James Holt, 3 Dean Lutz and Matthew Hoyle. Brass Solo Open - 1 Helen Gledhill, 2 Rebecca Robertson, 3 James Holt.

Public Speaking (18 years and over) - Rak Verma. Poem (18 years and over) - 1 Deirdre Cameron, 2 Averil Farrar, 3 Barbara France.

Sonnet Poem Open - 1 Averil Farrar, 2 Audrey Bemrose. Poem (13 to 17) - 1 Katy Hawkshaw, 2 Ellen Gorf, 3 Lucy Wignall. Poem (12 years and under) - 1 Hayden Saul, 2 Blue Thorn, 3 Bethany Burns and Hayley Saul.

Brass Solo (10 years and under) - 1 Charlotte Heaton, 2 Caroline Swift, 3 Philip Swift and Sian Farrington. Brass Solo (12 years and under) - 1 Robin Bayley, 2 Nicciy Patel, 3 James Cotton.

String Solo (10 years and under) - 1 Joanna Twaddle, 2 Louie Barby, 3 Abigail Askew and Jamie Philokyprou.

Woodwind Solo (14 years and under) - 1 Sarah Bennett, 2 Rebecca Robinson, 3 Charlie Bayley.