A concert turned into an awards ceremony as two awards finally caught up with blues musicians in Ilkley.

The packed King´s Hall was not surprised to be treated to one of the Blues Band’s very best evenings last Thursday.

The night featured standards, band favourites and solos from Dave Kelly, Tom McGuiness and Gary Fletcher and Paul Jones maestroing on harmonica, all with the incomparable Rob Townsend.

But there was a surprise just before half time when promoter Wicked Lady Promotions, managing director, Anne Hawkesworth walked on stage with two awards.

Two of the band had triumphed in the European Blues Awards earlier in the month, and the awards had been following the band from theatre to theatre on their Blues Band on Tour circuit. They finally caught up with the band at Ilkley.

Mrs Hawkesworth presented drummer Rob Townsend with the European Musician of the Year Award and lead singer Paul Jones with European Blues Journalist of the Year Award for his Monday night BBC Radio 2 show.