The mellow sound of jazz and the military pomp of marching tunes can be heard in Pinner this summer as part of a season of open air concerts.

For the last seven years, the Pinner Association has arranged a series of four free public - and hugely popular - performances in Pinner Memorial Park on Sunday afternoons.

Listeners can expect a huge variety of instrumental music - but if you want to hire a deckchair, get there early as crowds typically surge to 700 or 800, and the weather has not washed out a performance to date, thanks to the bands sitting in a marquee on a small stage.

This year, the association is siting the bandstand behind Chapel Lane car park, Chapel Lane, Pinner, where there is free parking on Sundays.

The bands strike up at 2.30pm and the last strains of the finale fade away at around 4.45pm.

Organiser Sam Upton, a Pinner Association committee member, promises "a thoroughly entertaining and relaxing series of concerts".

Sunday saw the first al fresco bash with the Grimsdyke Brass, a local brass band. Next to follow is the Perry Parsons Big Band, a swing jazz band from Ickenham, who take to the bandstand on Sunday, August 3 at 2.30pm.

Combining saxophone, trumpet, trombone and rhythm sections, the band perform a wide variety of tracks from swing through easy listening to big band classics.

One week later, on Sunday, August 10, parkgoers can enjoy the sound of The British Airways Band.

This is a concert brass band that was formed 30 years ago as the Silver Wings and was renamed when the airline was created in 1978.

On August 17, Pinner Memorial Park will be graced with the sound of the Royal Air Forces Association's President's Band, who will play two sets of 45 minutes apiece.

The 40-strong semi-professional wind band, based at RAF Uxbridge, have returned to Pinner each summer for the last five years.

Musical director Peter Stockdale says: "It's good to be able to perform to a live audience and because we're live, you get to hear all the good notes and the wrong ones and you can have a chat with the musicians during the break, and even give us the odd request."

He adds: "The band has been together for 15 years and have saxophone, clarinets, flutes and bass guitars. We play to a very high standard and have played in Holland, Germany and Southern Ireland, so it's good to able to play in our own area again."

The band's large repetoire includes TV themes, film scores and traditional band music.

All the proceeds raised by the concerts will go towards the restoration of the park's West House as a museum for famous Pinner illustrator Heath Robinson.

CONCERT PROGRAMME

August 3: Perry Parsons Big Band

August 10: British Airways Band

August 17: RAFA President's Band

All concerts start at 2.30pm at Pinner Memorial Park, Chapel Lane, Pinner. Admission free.