AN era has come to an end with the last ever Herefordshire Performing Arts Festival, after 85 years, but John Masefield students have been left holding the most prestigious trophy of all.

The high school is now the proud holder of the Elgar in Hereford Young Musician’s Award “for the amount of students that performed in the festival and the high standard shown by all”.

The school’s business manager, Wendy Bradbeer said: “This is the fourth time we have won but it is a great honour each time, and is well deserved by all of our students, who worked so hard.”

And because the festival will not take place next year, no other school will ever have the opportunity to lift the much sought-after trophy.

Mrs Bradbeer added: “We entered a number of ensembles and soloists in varied categories. Once again pupils performed brilliantly, receiving excellent feedback from the esteemed judges, including one who was amazed with the amount of talent and therefore felt he really needed to visit Ledbury!

“Our piano quartet were also given stunning feedback. We received an extremely high number of distinctions (80-89/100) and some outstandings (90/100).”

Notable achievements included: JMHS Clarinet Quartet – Won Advanced Wind Chamber Group; JMHS Jazz Band – Won School Jazz Band; JMHS Piano Quartet – Won advanced Chamber Group; JMHS String Ensemble – Won Open String Ensemble; Harry Unthank – Gold medal in Grade 6 woodwind; Anna Brown – Gold in Songs from Shows & Films, Girls aged 12-15; Libby Warren – Gold in Songs from Shows & Films, Girls aged 16-18, with an outstanding score of 91/100; Fred Gunning – Gold in Songs from Shows & Films, Boys aged 9 - 13; Tom Hill - Silver in Grade 6 Woodwind; Kath Owen - Silver in Grade 3 Woodwind; Angelina Gill – Silver in Songs from Shows & Films, Girls aged 12-15; Anna Brown – Silver in Youth Solos, Girls aged 12-15;

Elly Merryman – Silver in Grade 8 Woodwind ; Katy McCabe – Bronze in Songs from Shows & Films, Girls aged 12-15; Isabel Horne – Bronze in Youth Solos, Girls aged 12-15; Isabelle Thompson – Bronze in Songs from Shows & Films, Girls aged 12-15; Lotte Kroese – Bronze in Grade 1 Strings.