A POPULAR county band have wowed a trio of world-famous judges to be crowned Britain’s best part-time band.

Bombskare held off competition from four other bands to win the approval of Ultravox frontman Midge Ure, former New Order bassist Peter Hook and Soul II Soul producer Jazzie B in the final of the BBC competition.

The victory marks the end of a journey which started late last year when the band applied for the show, and Scott McCafferty, one of four county musicians in the nine-piece ska band, was delighted with the result.

He said: “It was great. We were down in Manchester for the last stage and they put us in a rehearsal studio. They came in and they asked us what cover version we would be performing.

“When we said it was Toxic by Britney Spears, Midge Ure’s reaction was exactly the reaction that basically everyone had.

“We did it and he totally got it and was really, really complimentary.”

The competition attracted the attention of more than 1,200 bands, playing everything from rock to reggae, and from ska to skiffle.

Comedian Rhod Gilbert, who presented the show, along with the judges, was on a mission to find the UK’s best part-time band.

That saw Midge Ure heading to Glasgow, as well as taking on a tour of Northern Ireland and Wales.

Former Joy Division member Peter Hook was championing the north of England, while Jazzie B headed to the south of the country.

Scott, of Haddington, who drives a butcher’s van, admitted his ‘second job’ was still his favourite, with the band having been performing since the late 1990s.

He told the Courier: “I’m pretty sure that playing in a band is a little bit sexier than hauling beef and chicken about for a living.

“We play at the weekends but there is not enough money to support nine people. It’s just what you have to do and everybody has got bills to pay.”

The band, which also includes Andy Pennycuick, from Garvald, Mikey Pepper, from Prestonpans, and Ali Wales, from North Berwick, defeated four others in the final of the show, which was broadcast on Saturday evening.

Scott, 43, who plays guitar and provides vocals, said the final had been filmed in March and added: “We’ve been sitting on this for the last two or three months.

“We’ve done well [keeping quiet] considering we just wanted to tell everybody!”

And the ‘rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle’ continues tomorrow (Friday) evening, with Bombskare once again taking to the stage at Studio 24, in Edinburgh, alongside Johnny Cage & The Voodoo Groove, who were also part of the show.

Then, later this summer, they will be taking to the stage at AudioSoup, held south of Gifford, and returning to Fringe by the Sea, at North Berwick, in August.