THEY'VE been a brass act since 1892 and Dunfermline Town Band are hoping a new name will bring a change of fortunes too.

Homeless since being forced to abandon their Paton Street base and short on numbers after the pandemic, they're back in tune and now known as Dunfermline City Brass ahead of their performance in the Scottish championships this weekend.

Chairman and principal cornet player, Danny Harrison, told the Press: "It's always been Dunfermline Town Band but when it came to city status we spoke to the band and approached the Provost, Jim Leishman, about the name change.

"Fife Council don't have any jurisdiction on what we're called but we wanted that endorsement and the Provost agreed and wrote back to us, saying he thought it was a great idea to promote the city and the band."

The band fell silent due to Covid-19 and numbers dwindled but they've been rebuilding and have 25 members ahead of the return to the national stage with the Scottish championships, run by the Scottish Brass Band Association, in Perth this weekend.

The band are in the fourth section on Sunday and Danny said: "It's the first time we've been back at the Scottish Championships since Covid.

"We're just enjoying being back playing.

"Every band plays the same test piece, 'Hungerford Town', and a panel will decide who's best."

Band members range in age from teenagers to those in their 70s and they practise twice a week, on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, at St Andrew's Erskine Church on Robertson Road.

That's their 'temporary' base as Fife Council took the decision, in February 2019, to demolish the band's premises at Paton Street, next to the James Allan Centre.

Danny explained: "We used to have our own band hall there but it was damaged by severe weather and constant vandalism.

"It was knocked down and we're still waiting on issues with the insurance getting sorted out.

"So we were homeless. We've been at the church since then and they've been great with us."

The band are still hopeful of getting their own premises, recruiting new members and re-establishing the youth band too.

Danny said: "I really enjoy it. It's the music, the social aspect, sharing experiences and playing concerts.

"As well as being the chairman and principal cornet, I'm on the SBBA too. It's a labour of love!"