Treasury ministers have performed their first Budget U-turn, pledging to reconsider the exclusion of pipe and brass bands from a lucrative tax cut.

In his statement George Osborne had announced the introduction of a long-anticipated orchestra relief.

But the move led to allegations that only those containing string, woodwind, brass and percussion sections would benefit.

Mr Osborne faced accusations that he had a "tin ear" and was snobbishly pandering to the cultural tastes of his own social circle.

But Lib Dem Treasury Minister Danny Alexander said he would raise the issue with staff at Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

He had been pressed on the issue by Labour's shadow culture minister Chris Bryant, who told him: "We learn the Government definition of an orchestra says you only get tax relief if you have woodwind and strings and percussion and brass - all four.

"So if you want somebody to start trumpeting your orchestra tax relief, aren't you going to have to change the rules?"

Labour later sources suggested that Mr Osborne was hearing "the drum-roll heralding a humiliating U-turn".

Treasury aides suggested that the final wording of the guidance, due to be published shortly, would say that performers had to play instruments from one or more of the string, woodwind, brass and percussion sections.

The changes announced in the Budget offer a potential lifeline to many small orchestras.

The tax relief, due to be introduced in April 2016, offers touring orchestras tax relief of 25 per cent on production costs, with non-touring orchestras able to claim 20 per cent.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) had warned that there was a strong whiff of "cultural snobbery" about the way the tax relief was planned.

"We are concerned that targeting it at a particular combination of performers, playing a particular type of music in a particular environment, is unfair and may even be discriminatory", the organisation said.

Labour had warned that the tax break would disproportionately help London and the South East and accused the Coalition of "cutting out" Scotland's pipers and traditional music players.

The row echoed allegations of snobbery over a previous Coalition budget, .when Grant Shapps, the Tory party chairman, claimed ministers had cut the tax on bingo and beer "to help hardworking people do more of the things they enjoy."