Mum wins competition to help son celebrate first class degree from Oxford University

A first class degree was music to the ears of Adam Luke - and so was the brass band which turned up at his house to help him celebrate.
By The Newsroom
Published 19th Jul 2016, 10:40 BST
Updated 19th Jul 2016, 11:44 BST
Standing with the band are Eliot, front left, with mum Alison, dad Andrew, and Adam, front right.Standing with the band are Eliot, front left, with mum Alison, dad Andrew, and Adam, front right.
Standing with the band are Eliot, front left, with mum Alison, dad Andrew, and Adam, front right.

Stunned Adam, 21, was having a party with his family in the back garden of his home.

The special occasion was to mark the end of his three years of study at Trinity College, Oxford University where he got a first class degree in history.

The colourful band is a real hit with the audience.The colourful band is a real hit with the audience.
The colourful band is a real hit with the audience.
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Unbeknown to him, his mum Alison Luke, 49, had won a competition to win a brass band visit to the house.

And as family, friends and neighbours chatted away, the sounds of the group called Mr Wilson’s Second Liners came from the front of the house.

The musicians had marched down the street, into the Luke’s family drive and round to the back garden with a stunned Adam having no idea at all of the surprise.

Alison, a school secretary, said: “He was absolutely astounded. We always go to the Durham Brass Festival and it is the type of music we like.

The band entertains the crowd.The band entertains the crowd.
The band entertains the crowd.
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“The band were all dressed up in psychedelic outfits. They were wonderful.”

Forty people were at the party in Trimdon Village including dad Andrew Luke, 49, who owns a sandwich and sweet shop, and Adam’s younger brother Elliot, 16, who is currently doing his A-levels at Bede Sixth Form in Billingham.

Alison wrote into a competition to win one of the bands which were playing at the BRASS festival in County Durham.

She said: “I did not expect to win. I enter competitions all the time but never win anything.

Adam watches as the brass band plays.Adam watches as the brass band plays.
Adam watches as the brass band plays.

“I wanted to something memorable for Adam.”

Adam’s graduation ceremony is next year.

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But Alison added: “This is “our graduation ceremony for him. He really likes Brass: traditional and modern.”

BRASS is a music festival in County Durham which sets out to change perceptions about brass music and develop new audiences through demonstrating the breadth and creativity of brass in music.

The colourful band is a real hit with the audience.The colourful band is a real hit with the audience.
The colourful band is a real hit with the audience.

It features a range of performances from musical genres including jazz, blues, rock, pop, indie traditional and classical.

It features collaborations between brass musicians and actors, theatre makers, dancers, and technology.