While plastic guns and footballs may be the most popular boys’ toys, it was a long, rusty handsaw found in a shed that left a ten-year-old Charles Hindmarsh transfixed.

The sharpest tool in the box, it unsurprisingly was the start of many sleepless nights for his parents after they caught the now Golcar Brass Band conductor attempting to use it as one of the world’s most off the wall musical instruments.

Now, at 47 and going under the name Yorkshire Musical Saw Man, he is one of the most prolific saw players in the UK and around the world.

It is certainly proof that his madcap hobby has paid off, despite giving a considerable amount of business to the bandaging industry.

His success has helped to keep the avant-garde tradition in the public eye, which was first brought to mass public attention by its most famous player, actress Marlene Dietrich and has since been used by cult indie groups such as Neutral Milk Hotel and Eels, Tom Waits and Neil Young and on the soundtrack to Jean Pierre-Jeunet’s film, Delicatessen.

“I’d been watching someone play it on TV and it just got me hooked,” said Charles.

“I found my dad’s saw and started sneaking off to play it in the shed using my school violin bow until I was caught by my parents.

“They were quite concerned to find me sat there, bending a sharp blade that was held between my knees.

“But I kept playing in secret and have never given it up since.

“It’s the ethereal sound it makes that left me transfixed. It sounds just like a singing voice. It’s a dying art form so it’s so nice to keep it in the public eye.”

With a noticeable lack of teachers in the instrument and no access to online videos to research his new craft, Charles was forced to rely on his own ear to test if the noises he made with it cut the mustard.

“It was pretty difficult to work out what was what because I had no one there to teach me, but I realised that if I could sing, I could saw.

“The trick is a good ear for the different keys-you have to listen very carefully and it’s all based on trial and error.”

Practising at every possible opportunity, he was soon creating the delicate yet striking sounds by bending the saw into differently- pitched shapes.

After five years of practising to the shed’s largely spider-based audience, he decided to share his new talent with a larger crowd.

“I had been playing brass in the Wetherby Silver Band and asked if I could bring the saw along. It was good to bring something different to them and I won them around.

“From there I got a couple of solo gigs in music halls and other events, as well as with other bands.

“I’ve even played it with Lindley Band, The Yorkshire Evening Post Band and Harrogate Band.

“I like the challenge of playing different sorts of music but renditions of the Carpenters are some of my favourites.”

Capturing the attention of those who came to watch him he started to get requests to teach others how to play not just in Yorkshire but around the world in places such as California, thanks to conducting his lessons online.

Now 30 people have learned how to hit the right notes and some even drive from London to enjoy a full session face-to-face.

His shining moment came last year, when he brought together an entire sawchestra made up of musicians from across the world to celebrate 100 years of stainless steel in Sheffield.

“I managed to bring together 10 people from places such as China and Germany and we wrote some music and practised four part symphonies for a few days before performing at the Winter Gardens.

“It was great to use the instrument to celebrate the industry.”

Charles will next play at a Halloween event in Buxton on October 31.To find out more, go to:playthesaw.co.uk/wp/