A MUSICAL scholarship has been set up in memory of a Bridport guitarist who died from cancer.

The Mike Gallop Memorial annual scholarship award will offer guitar players a chance to learn from leading musicians such as ex-Pretenders and Paul McCartney guitarist Robbie McIntosh.

The course is a tribute to Custer's Last Blues Band guitarist, Mike Gallop. Mr Gallop, who died from cancer in December last year. He was one of the founder members of the Bridport-based blues outfit.

The band was formed in 1983 and played its first gigs at West Point Tavern in West Bay.

Members and ex-members decided to set up the course to help guitarists to improve their skills. Former Custer's bass player, Chris Lonergan, is one of the tutors.

Echo columnist Chris said: "Mike was one of the original band members and we decided that a scholarship to provide tuition for guitarists and bass players would be a fitting tribute to him.

"The aim is to encourage guitarists and bassists and the emphasis is on getting them to work together in a band situation rather than on individual tuition. The tuition will be based around the blues, but we will be looking at other musical styles as well."

The course, which is based at Weymouth College, has attracted guitar players of all ages from as far as Lyme Regis and Exeter.

Nine guitarists and three bass players were chosen at auditions and interviews in the summer. Tuition is spread over a year and includes a free place on a five-day blues summer school in Dorchester.

Money is made available for the scholarship through the John Spencer Memorial Fund. The fund was set up in memory of another Custer's Last Blues Band member, keyboard player John Spencer, who died in 1988.

An annual fundraising festival takes place at Freshwater Caravan Park in Burton Bradstock featuring past and present band members, numbering more than 30.

The John Spencer fund has already provided money to pay for instruments and tuition for young musicians in schools and colleges throughout Dorset.