WHAT do you call a group of fiddlers?

"A scrape?" suggests Jed Mugford, founder of the Oxford Fiddle Group and editor of Fiddle On magazine.

"I don't think there actually is one," he adds.

"OK, so what's the difference between a violin and a fiddle?" I ask.

"Nothing really," he admits.

I'm confused about this instrument before I've even started to write about it.

But there must be something special about it, because up to 30, educated people get together every week at Headington Quarry Hall to play their fiddles.

They are The Oxford Fiddle Group - or OFG - and their debut album Bonny Kate sold out in a matter of months.

Mr Mugford, 52, seems as surprised about the success of the group as anyone.

He said: "It all started with an ad in the Oxford Mail. I'd been to fiddle workshops after taking up the instrument in '93 and thought I'd see if there were others out there who'd be interested in getting together."

The very first meeting took place at the Mason's Arms in Headington Quarry.

Six people turned up, but that quickly doubled.

Mr Mugford said: "We now have up to 30 members and when we all get together it sounds really great.

"We also have other instruments. If you book us you could get a line-up including a Celtic harp, double bass, guitar, mandolin, viola, cello and concertina, and we have some great singers too."

Playing gigs evolved out of a desire for practice rather than making money, but they are now regulars on the festival scene and have recently been 'discovered' by Oxford's twinning associations.

Mr Mugford said: "We perform at the Burns Supper in Cumnor, Wheatley May Morning celebration, The Woodstock Mock Mayor and Headington Methodist Church Christmas Carol Service.

"We've also performed at the Oxford Folk Festival and further afield at The Kilcrohane Music Festival, West Cork, as well as on mini tours of Portugal, Germany - and Grenoble this October."

Members come from all walks of life, including ex-Olympic yachtsman Peter Day who took part in the Montreal Olympics in 1976.

At 17, David Denyer, from Witney, is the youngest member. He said: "I became involved when I realised that I wasn't paying attention to my violin any more and my enthusiasm for it was slowly declining.

"I'd heard stories of people who had started the violin when they were children, but dropped it in their teens, and had regretted it - I decided that wasn't the way I wanted to end up.

"Playing with the OFG is great because you're actually helping to create this great musical sound."

The OFG are working on their second album and are considering a gig in Oxford's Russian twin town Perm.

Mr Mugford said: "We're doing great, but we're always interested in more bookings!"

For more information go to www.oxfordfiddle.co.uk