90 year-old Army veteran wows the audience at Chorley Armed Forces concert

Don Bateman takes front row with Leyland Band at Chorley Town Hall

It was the idea of Chorley Councillor, Aaron Beaver, Armed Forces Community Champion, to see if his fellow veteran could be included in the evening's programme and the band obliged by taking Don Bateman for a rehearsal in their band room in Leyland before inviting him on stage on the night.

Born in Southport, but a long time resident of Chorley, Don currently lives in Fleet Street in the town, is the head of quite a large extended family, some of whom were able to be present on the night to see and hear him give his rendition, which was met with a spontaneous standing ovation from the massed audience.

Strangely, after 25 years service in the 14th/20th King's Hussars, Don actually went for a few rehearsals with the band in the days when it was the Leyland Motors Band, before it rose to prominence as a major force in British banding. Unfortunately, Don could find no work locally, and with a family to care for had to look elsewhere for work and an outlet for his talents. Before settling in Chorley, he worked for five years in Liverpool and played in the pit orchestra of the Shakespeare Theatre, musically supporting such famous acts as Ken Dodd.

Subsequently, Don led an orchestra and now, despite his years, plays in a concert band in Lytham and another in Preston.

Don Bateman, centre, with Daniel Hohm (right) and Dan Moore.

At the end of Saturday's performance Don kept saying how honoured he felt to have taken part in the concert, organised by local historian, Stewart Clewlow, to which the band's chairman, Chris Doran replied: "No Don, this concert was to honour you and all past and present members of the Armed Forces without whom we would not be able to play our music in peace!"