Primary school children in Oxfordshire will be able to learn a musical instrument for free thanks to a £30,000 cash injection from the Government.

School Minister Andrew Adonis made available £2m across the country, with more money promised for next year. Tom Morter, senior manager of Oxfordshire Music Service, said it was exciting news for pupils across the county.

He said: "This extra money will be fed into a selection of musical programmes and should enable us to offer all the county's schoolchildren the chance to learn to play an instrument from next year.

"Apparently we are looking at around £30,000 this year, but that should rise dramatically the year after."

This is the first time that money has been made available specifically for investment in instruments and is part of the Government's so-called Music Manifesto, which promises every child the opportunity to learn to play an instrument.

Mr Morter added: "Schools have to sign up to the programme to access this money via Oxfordshire Music Service and also make a small contribution themselves. A member of our staff goes along, gives the children a general introduction to music, using CDs and exciting games, before 20 weekly lessons with either string or brass instruments.

"More schools have already signed up for the coming year and we aim to double those taking part this year, before making it available to all (234 schools) the year after."

Jo Capel Davies, headeacher at Marsh Baldon Primary School, said: "I'm really pleased to hear about this extra money. We became involved with the Music Service programme about three years ago, as part of their pilot scheme.

"It is wonderful that many of our Year Two and Three children, some of whom may not have even had the chance to handle a musical instrument, have gone on to learn to play and even read music."