TALENTED young musician Samuel Cotton is following in the footsteps of his great grandfather.

The nine-year-old cornet player from Pleckgate is performing with the same band his great grandpa Henry Cotton performed with more than 60 years ago.

The pupil at Holy Souls Primary School, Wilworth Crescent, Blackburn, discovered that music runs in his family after he started playing with the Balderstone Brass Band.

His great grandpa Henry, who lived in Mellor Brook, started playing the cornet with the same band when he was 12 and continued until he married his wife Catherine and moved out of the area in his mid-20s.

The band, which has 15 members, will perform traditional Christmas songs at various locations in East Lancashire over the festive period.

Samuel, who is the youngest member, said he was amazed that he was playing in the same group as his great grandfather.

He added: “When I heard that my great grandpa played the cornet I was just like ‘wow’. I want to play in the band for a long time because I have a really good time.”

His father, Graham Cotton, said it was a complete coincidence that Samuel started playing for the same band. He said: “Henry didn’t have much of an education as the schooling system wasn’t as good as it is today and so to entertain himself he joined the band and he proved to be very good at it.”

John Bromley, band secretary, said: “Samuel is very good at playing the cornet and has always been confident.”

The next concert is at Asda, Grimshaw Retail Park, Blackburn, today, from 11am-2pm.