SWANAGE Town Band has backed calls to save the town's Victorian bandstand from the scrapheap.

Earlier this year council officials announced they'd be filling in the sunken site if no firm plans to replace it had been proposed by the end of August.

This created a wave of protest locally, with campaigners pledging to save the bandstand. However, Swanage Town Band initially held fire on outlining its position on the issue.

Now, in a statement released to the Daily Echo, a band spokesman confirmed: "We enjoy playing in the bandstand and hope that restoration of it will be possible so that we can continue to entertain residents and visitors from it during the summer months in years to come."

This statement followed a public meeting in Swanage - attended by more than 200 people - to discuss the bandstand's future.

The Swanage Town Band statement added: "The meeting, which was attended by many band members, was a positive one and there was ample opportunity for people to express their views.

"The band feels that the bandstand is a unique part of Swanage’s heritage."

More than £13,000 has already been pledged towards the restoration of the 94-year-old sunken bandstand.

Campaigner Alan Houghton, who set up the Save Swanage Bandstand group, has called for more local people, businesses and interested parties to support the cause.

The town council says the roof of the bandstand was declared structurally unsound during refurbishment works in 2012. These refurbishment works took place to address serious storm damage that the bandstand sustained previously.

The council also says that if the sunken site is filled in, the performance area at the town's Prince Albert Gardens - where Swanage Town Band also plays - could be improved.

Swanage Town Band will be performing at Swanage Bandstand at selected dates throughout the summer.

The next free concert is on Saturday, June 10, from 2.30-4pm.