NEWENT Orchestra Leader, Bill Anderton, is completing a highly personal project by composing a symphony entitled “The Newent Symphony”.

And in doing so he can be seen to be following in the footsteps of local composer, Rutland Boughton.

Rutland Boughton is more famously known as composer of the 'Arthurian Cycles' and for being co-founder of the Glastonbury Festival.

In writing this new symphony, Mr Anderton hopes he is "keeping alive the music tradition of Newent".

He added: “I wrote this symphony to express how I feel about Newent. After having lived in Newent for more than thirty years I felt the need to give something back to the town and saw writing this symphony as a way to do this.

"This will be celebration of some of the wonderful features of Newent itself."

The first performance is due to be performed in Newent in the New Year and further details will follow nearer the time.

Newent town councillor, Colin Thomas said: "It must be said that there cannot be many towns around the UK that can boast having a symphony written about it."