FOREST musicians who swapped their instruments in a charity fundraising challenge have presented a giant cheque for £1,500 to the Dean's Great Oaks Hospice.

Founder of the Coleford hospice, Sheila Evans, said she was absolutely delighted to receive the support when she visited a rehearsal night of the Royal Forest of Dean Orchestra in Newnham.

"I am thrilled to receive this cheque and am very impressed with the magnificent effort made by these musicians," she said.

Most of the 13 players, who took part in the challenge to learn a new instrument to Grade One standard within weeks, belong to the orchestra – whose members helped sponsor them.

Leader of the woodwind section Fiona Crawley, from Parkend, who came up with the idea, was over the moon with the final total. "This is way beyond all our expectations," said the flautist, who swapped her instrument for a cello.

All 13 musicians passed the exam – five with distinction, five with merit and three with passes. They were: orchestra chairman Liz Pritchard, from Newnham, who swapped her cello for a clarinet; cellist Sally Horton, from Bream, and violinist Marie Roberts, from Coleford, who both took up flutes; flautist Gill Ball, from Christchurch, who learned the bassoon; flautist Alison Blasdale, from Aylburton, who took up trumpet; cellist Alison Phelps, from Newnham and Joanna Handley, from Monmouth, who both took up piano; violinist Viv Hargreaves, from Westbury, who took up jazz piano; cellist Rosemary Griffiths, from Newnham, who took up violin; clarinettist Jenny Woodward who tried her hand at trumpet; horn player Jane Pepperell, from Highnam, who played the violin and flautist Fiona Crawley on cello and her 16-year-old daughter Phoebe who took up clarinet.