A West Cumbrian musician will celebrate Christmas early this year after earning a sugar plum of a job.

Daniel McLaughlin, 23, of Broughton Moor, has been appointed as assistant musical director for the Thursford Christmas Spectacular in Norfolk - a festival that attracts hundreds of thousands of people to the area.

It runs from November 8 to December 23 and involves two shows a day.

Daniel will be accompanist throughout and will direct 25 of the shows.

He will work with West End casts, classical orchestras and operatic singers.

It is one more coup in what has been a series of highlights in a short career.

Daniel was taught piano by his grandfather, George Atkinson.

He learned to play the trombone, joining the family in the Dearham Brass Band.

During his university days he played first trombone position in the university's brass band, wind orchestra and big band. Outside university, he has spent 18 months playing second trombone for the Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band, with short spells with Hepworth and Hammonds Saltaire.

Most recently he was admitted to the Grimethorpe Colliery Band, made famous in the film Brassed Off.

"I have had to give that up at the moment because of this job but would love to rejoin next year," he said.

Daniel gained a first class honours degree in music at Huddersfield University and a post-graduate degree at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.

It was while he was in Manchester that he got the Thursford festival job.

"One of my tutors was approached to ask if he could recommend anyone interested in auditioning and he gave them my name," he said.

Daniel's ambition is to be a professional conductor and this has given him one more impressive entry in his CV.