TRIBUTES have been played to a Wirral musician who has passed away from Motor Neurone Disease (MND). 

Welshman Rhys Owens, who lived in Claughton, was well known throughout classical music circles in the UK as the Principal Trumpet player with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (RLPO).

Rhys joined the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic in 1991 as fourth trumpet and was promoted to Section Principal in 1998. Before joining the RLPO, Rhys played with many British orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and BBC National Orchestra of Wales, as well as working in Europe.

He had been teaching trumpet at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester since 1999.

Rhys was forced to retired as Principle Trumpet with the RLPO last year after 30 years of service following his diagnosis.

In October last year around 20 musicians from the RLPO and the Halle Orchestra, as well as friends of Rhys, took part in a cycle ride from Manchester to Liverpool to raise funds for the Wirral Group of the Motor Neurone Disease Association which was a source of constant support to the musician since his diagnosis

They raised around £15,000 with further funds raised through a charity concert held in Cardiff by the Welsh National Opera and the BBC National Orchestra.

A spokesperson for the RLPO said: "It is with a very heavy heart that we have to tell you that our former Principal Trumpet, Rhys Owens, died on Friday. Rhys had recently had to step down from the Orchestra after some 30 years, after being diagnosed just over a year ago with Motor Neurone disease.

"It is a degenerative and incurable disease, but Rhys faced this terrible situation with his characteristic calm and lack of fuss. Rhys was a wonderful musician, colleague, and friend to many. He was a proud member of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and his contribution to our music making was immense.

"He will be greatly missed, but never forgotten, not only by everyone who worked with him, but also by countless members of our audience over the last 30 years."