GOOSEBUMPS and tears met the sound of the Last Post at Commonweal School today as it marked Armistice Day with another student performance.

Sixteen-year-old Ben Mulcock, a sixth form student at the school, was entrusted with the responsibility for sounding the tune on his trumpet.

Positioned on the terrace of the sixth form building of the Old Town school, his music rang out across the school grounds.

Ali Sutcliffe, head of expressive art, said staff and students had told her how the music had brought tears to their eyes and goosebumps to their skin.

“There is a longstanding musical tradition at Commonweal and we try to use students to assist with that,” said Ali.

“Any trumpeters we have are placed around the school so everyone can hear the Last Post being played.”

With just the one student available this year, Ali said Ben was best placed on the sixth form terrace.

“We put him up on top of the building so when he played all the outbuildings around the school would have heard him, as well as the sixth form,” she said.

Ben is no normal trumpet player. He has been practising for more than 10 years and proved unflappable when the moment arrived.

“He was very chilled despite the fact I was there, holding the music, Josie (Williams, community arts officer) was there taking photos and there was another student recording the audio,” said Ali.

“He dealt with the pressure incredibly and didn’t get any part of it wrong.”

Keith Defter, headteacher, said: “It has become a tradition at Commonweal to mark the significance of Remembrance Day.

“This year Commonweal School student, Ben Mulcock, played the Last Post on his trumpet, during the two-minute silence at 10.58am.

“We also place great store in all students knowing the context and background of the day and thus in tutorials and lessons teachers will be raising their awareness in this respect.”