Musicians from all over Swindon and the surrounding area are tuning up for the 108th annual music festival kicking off tonight from 6pm in Wroughton Church.

This year Wroughton parish church has jumped in to the breach as Christ Church in Old Town, the normal venue for church organ classes, is undergoing a refurbishment. Other venues include the Bath Road Methodist Church and the Swindon Arts Centre.

Chairman Geoff Walters, vice chairman Sheila Marcer and the nine-strong committee are all hoping for a bumper year for audiences attending the various classes and concerts.

Sheila said: "It is so important for the competitors to have support and encouragement from an appreciative audience and for music lovers the festival offers a wide variety of music to suit all tastes.''

The Swindon Music Festival 2017 runs from Friday March 24 to Saturday April 1 and three adjudicators, David Patrick, Roy Robinson and Ann Lampard, will critique the performances. Competing for the Swindon Advertiser Cup will be the Girls' Solo class for eight and nine year olds.

Geoff said: "We in Swindon are rightfully proud of the quality of musicians in all styles of music that we are privileged to enjoy each year.''

Paul Turner, who recently made live broadcasts on BBC Radio 3s In Tune programme and performed with the English Chamber Orchestra is the festival accompanist. He has been playing for the festival for more than 25 years.

Geoff said: "How fortunate we are to have the services of such an excellent pianist on our doorstep.''

Jazz supremo Jamie Cullum, who recently appeared in the ITV series The Halcyon, competed in the 1988 and 1989 Swindon Music Festivals. Film star Diana Dors entered in 1938 under her real name of Diana Fluck. In both 2006 and 2008 Swindon singer, Sarah Covey, was crowned Vocal and Supreme Champion of the festival and she went on to star in the Queen musical We Will Rock You in London's West End. Young Kimberley Mok, 13, won her piano class two years running in the festival and was chosen to be the special guest at the Kentwood Christmas Cracker at the Wyvern Theatre in 2016.

In last year's festival Robert Felstead won the Supreme Championship Cup, winning the C S Macpherson trophy, Anahita Falaki won the Instrumental Championship and Harry Apps won the Junior Vocal Championships 2016.

There are three sessions a day from 9am, 1.30pm and 6pm, and tickets are £2 per session for day and £3 for the evenings. The Instrumental Championship is on Wednesday, March 29, tickets are £5, on Friday, March 31 it is the Junior Vocal Championship, tickets £5 and both the Senior Vocal Championship and the Supreme Championship are on Saturday, April 1 and tickets are £8.

The first Swindon Music Festival was a one night competition in 1909 held in the Mechanics Institute. It was based on the ideals of an eisteddford and was the brainchild of R G Cripps, who became mayor of Swindon in 1938. In that first event there were six entries and today the festival attracts almost 1,000 entrants. For more details visit www.swindonmusicfestival.co.uk. - Flicky Harrison