Elis Reed enjoys playing music

An 11-year-old boy has become one of the youngest people to be made an honorary bugle player for the Royal British Legion.

Elis Reed, from Abergavenny, took up the instrument after being asked to play the Last Post at a Remembrance Day ceremony when he was just nine-years-old.

He played so well, that they asked him to play again the next year.

Now, the legion have issued him with his own bugle and have asked him to become their honorary bugle player.

Elis, who goes to Harold Road Junior School, said he was proud to have been chosen.

I only had about two days to practice but it went really well and I did it again last year Elis Reed

"Two years ago the normal bugler was not available, so my scout leader asked me to do the Last Post.

"I only had about two days to practice but it went really well and I did it again last year.

"I hope to be doing it for many years to come.

"It is a great honour because my great grandfather, Arthur Smith, who I never met was the bugle player for the South Wales Borderers," he said.

Musical

Elis, who also plays trumpet, piano and cornet said that he was going to be taking up lessons on bugle playing.

"When the army hear that I was being made an honorary bugle player they sent me a book of all the bugle calls.

"It is really interesting and I am working my way through them.

"There is a real art in playing the bugle and it is quite hard," he added.

Elis is being awarded a certificate for his honorary role in the legion at a ceremony on Thursday night.

His mother, Lindy, father Huw and younger sister Bethan, are very proud of Elis.

"It is such an honour for Elis to be chosen and we are all so pleased for him," said Mrs Reed.

"We have a lot of very musical people in our family and Elis takes after them," she added.