I just wondered if anyone could give me the approx. cost of hiring a tuba for a pupil to learn on.

Quite expensive I'm afraid. Probably £100 to £150 per month. Bear in mind that these beasts cost £5000-ish when new.

You would be better off buying a second-hand one off ebay, then if you need to get rid of it again, sell it the same way. You would probably get around the same that you paid for it.

Try contacting Mark Carter, he trades as 'Mr Tuba' based in South Wales. What he doesn't know about tubas isn't worth knowing.

Try your local county music service first - as tubas are regarded as an 'endangered species', they are next to nothing to hire here in Devon - it's ?20 for an academic year.

Try contacting your local music service to see if they have a training band - they often offer instruments at very reasonable rates.

If you don't have any luck with music service or junior bands it would be worth contacting adult brass or wind bands. They often own instruments, and if they are short of players can be happy to lend an instrument in the hope of attracting a new player. I know at least one of the bands in my area was trying recently to find someone who would like to play their tuba. The Amateur Orchestras' Web site http://www.amateurorchestras.org.uk/ which is very well organised by region can help you to find orchestras or bands within reach. Good luck!