TALENTED musicians from East Lancashire have a royal appointment next year to help celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday.

Members of the Second Rossendale Scout Group Band will take to the stage at Windsor Castle in April to perform for Her Majesty.

Among their number will be Shuttleworth College student Jessica Barton who will be making her debut on the cornet.

The concert will be the third time the Rossendale band have been asked to perform in front of the nation’s sovereign.

The celebration will take place in the private grounds of Windsor Castle in a purpose-built arena.

Opera singer Katherine Jenkins will be among performers that the band will share the stage with.

It will feature 600 horses and 1,500 performers in the shadow of the 900-year-old fortress over four nights.

Jessica, 13, who is in Year Nine at Shuttleworth College, said: “It’s exciting although I am worried about whether to bow or curtsy – I don’t want to mess up.

“I grew up around brass music and I started learning the cornet when I was five.

“The Queen chooses a band every year and we got a letter from the Queen’s office saying they wanted us to perform next year at Windsor.”

The band has previously performed at Winsor Castle for the queen.

Members of the Royal Family will be in the 7,000 crowd each night and on the final evening the Queen will attend the extravagant privately-funded event, which will be broadcast live on ITV.

Organisers hope that the show, funded by sponsorship from companies including BAE Systems, which has a base in Samlesbury, will raise significant sums for some of the Queen¹s favourite charities.

The Royal Household is expected to make further announcements later this year about other events marking the Queen’s 90th birthday on April 21 2016.

Formed in 1963, the band has also appeared at venues including The Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and The O2 Area in London.