THERE are plenty of ways to escape the current madness of our politics, at least temporarily.

A long walk on the beach. A football match. Or music.

So a couple of hours in the company of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra on Sunday afternoon looked like the perfect solution. It was. Well almost.

Under the baton of David Hill (who has had a long association with the orchestra) the BSO delivered a rousing and rip-roaring performance in the annual Benevolent Fund concert.

All the musicians and guest artists give up their time for free in aid of players who are experiencing hardship through injury or ill health.

The funds are used towards salary or to help with medical treatment.

The concert featured three hugely popular and famous works, Verdi's La Forza del Destino (Stella Artois anyone?), Max Bruch's spinetingling Violin Concerto Number 1 and Tchaikovsky's monumental and emotionally-charged Symphony Number 4.

The audience gave a warm reception to soloist on the Violin Concerto, another good friend of the BSO, Tasmin Little.

She is retiring from the concert platform and this was her penultimate performance with the orchestra.

Another wonderful concert has set things up nicely for what promises to be a stunning new season ahead.

And the politics? Maybe I should have gone to Specsavers, but from 30 yards, with his eye catching shock of blond hair, the co-principal cellist was a dead ringer for the under siege prime minister. If he wanted a bit of respite, Boris Johnson could sneak on stage and hide in plain sight for a while.

On the other hand his double could take his place at the cabinet table and sort things out. Now there's a solution no-one has thought about.